Gov.Doug Ducey’s administration on Wednesday recommended guidelines that initial opioid prescriptions will be limited to five days for new patients in Arizona.
This plan would limit maximum dosage for pain medication, and implement steps to taper down pain medication. To limit diversion of drugs the pain prescriptions should be filled electronically rather than on paper. These are some of the recommended legislative and policy steps proposed by Arizona Department of Health Services In an opioid action plan on Wednesday.
The state aims at reducing opioid-related deaths, increase awareness, address prescribing and dispensing drugs, reduce illicit acquisition and diversion of opioids and improve access to treatment.
Dr.Cara Christ, director of the ADHS, said that the state recommended the five day limit only after reviewing other states restriction and centers for Disease Control and Prevention Research.
She also said that Gov.Doug signed an executive order last year that limited initial opioid fills to seven days for Arizona adults insured by Medicaid or the state health insurance plan.
CDC research suggested that people face a greater risk for long term opioid use when they have at least six days medication. Whereas, most people only need for three days after an acute injury or surgery.
During 70 days monitoring period, more than 2100 possible opioid overdoses were recorded causing 280 deaths. The age, gender, location and type of drug are also recorded. This gave officials a good look exactly who’s abusing opioid’s, and who they got these drugs.
This five days limit would apply for “opioid naive” people who have never taken pain pills or haven’t been on pain medication for months or years. This would apply to all people covered by all types of insurance and self pay patients.
Other recommendations under this include requiring doctor’s to complete three hours of opioid related education, mandating different packaging and labeling opioid’s and bolstering oversight of Pain-management clinics to target so called “pill-mills” that prescribe pain pills regardless of medical need.
The report also recommended legislation that would permit bystanders to call 911 in case of overdose without fear of prosecution.
By A.s
