A report recently released by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health suggests that policy leaders target prescribers and dispensers in the ongoing efforts to curb opioid abuse and misuse.
From coverage in the Washington Post:
Stricter guidelines for prescribing and dispensing powerful pain medications are needed to curb the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic, according to a report released Monday from public-health leaders at Johns Hopkins University.
The analysis offered broad recommendations for addressing opioid abuse, but it stood out for its focus on the supply chain, including physicians and pharmacists.
It called for greater monitoring, training and rule-making to prevent misuse of opioids, addiction and overdoses, and said that doctors often prescribe pain medications “in quantities and for conditions that are excessive, and in may cases, beyond the evidence base.”
MACo has adopted opioid concerns as one of its 2016 legislative initiatives, targeting the widespread issue as a priority for the second straight year:
Addressing the Drug Problems Across the Counties – Heroin and drug misuse continue to be threats to the lives and livelihood of county citizens. Both an Administration Task Force and a General Assembly Joint Committee have taken the initiative to fight addiction, reduce drug misuse and related crime, and treat and reduce behavioral health and opioid use disorders. MACo supports these initiatives, and advocates broadly in support of budgetary and legislative action providing counties with resources to address drug misuse and provide vital education, prevention, and treatment.
