The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy announced the approval of rules to help implement proposed limits on opiate prescriptions for acute pain. Announced by Governor Kasich and leaders of Ohio?s healthcare regulatory boards in March, the rules will support efforts by the Medical, Nursing and Dental Boards to place commonsense limits on the use of opiates for the treatment of acute pain.
?The Board is proud to play its role in helping to reduce opiate prescribing in Ohio? said Steven Schierholt, Executive Director of the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. ?It is estimated that the state could see an annual reduction of 109 million opiate doses once the new limits are in effect.?
The rules adopted by the Board will require prescribers to include a diagnosis or procedure code on every controlled substance prescription. This information will then be entered into Ohio?s prescription monitoring program, known as the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS), by dispensing pharmacies to monitor compliance with the limits.
Opiates are the source of significant and rising drug problems in Ohio, including an alarming increase in rural areas and small towns. The rules will follow the Board?s standard rule adoption process, including input from stakeholders and the public. For more information on the acute pain prescribing limits and the Board of Pharmacy?s proposed rules, please visit: www.pharmacy.ohio.gov/acute.
