Drug Monitoring Programs Have Cut Opioid Prescriptions

Doctors in states that track painkiller prescriptions were nearly one-third less likely to offer patients dangerously addicting opioids, a new study found. The launch of drug-monitoring programs in 24 states led to an immediate 30 percent drop in prescriptions for Schedule II opioids, the most addictive, in patients with pain complaints, the study showed. “We are moving in the direction of raising awareness about overprescribing these drugs,” lead author Yuhua Bao said in a phone interview. “But we still have a lot to do in terms of changing the culture and practice of painkiller prescriptions.”