NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) -- Gov. Chris Christie is touting a growing partnership with neighboring states that aims to combat prescription drug abuse by allowing doctors to access data about patients' prescription drug histories.

Gov. Chris Christie holds a press conference after meeting with medical professionals to discuss curbing prescription drug abuse while at Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)
Gov. Chris Christie holds a press conference after meeting with medical professionals to discuss curbing prescription drug abuse while at Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)
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Christie made the announcement Tuesday in New Brunswick. He spoke at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital after a meeting with doctors and pharmacists.

Direct data-sharing between New Jersey and Delaware actually began in June, while sharing with Connecticut began in May. A similar partnership with New York is in the works.

New Jersey's prescription monitoring program collects data on every prescription filled in the state for a host of controlled substances. About 41 percent of eligible prescribers and pharmacists have registered for access.

The Republican governor has made combatting drug addiction a signature issues as he weighs a run for president in 2016.

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