More Ammunition in the Battle Against Opioid Overdoses

In 2014, more people died of drug overdoses than in any other year, and the majority of the deaths involved an opioid. In fact, “more Americans die from drug overdoses than car crashes,” said Sylvia Burwell, HHS secretary, in announcing new actions the department is taking to combat the opioid epidemic.

Related: Call for App to Help Opioid Rehab

The actions build on the HHS Opioid Initiative, launched March 2015, and the National Pain Strategy, the government’s first coordinated plan to reduce the burden of chronic pain in the U.S. The programs focus on 3 priorities: improving opioid prescribing practices, expanding access to medication-assisted treatment, and increasing use of naloxone to reverse overdoses.

Among the changes: SAMHSA finalized a rule to allow practitioners who can prescribe buprenorphine for up to 100 patients for a year or more now to treat up to 275 patients. Practitioners can obtain the waiver for the increase if they have additional credentialing in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry from a specialty medical board and/or professional society, or practice in a qualified setting.

Related: Lowering Veterans’ Opioid Use and Reducing Overdose Risk

Another important change was to the IHS Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) policy. Although many IHS clinicians already use PDMP databases, opioid prescribers and pharmacists will now be required to check state PDMP databases before prescribing or dispensing any opioid for > 7 days. The goal is to help improve pain management care, identify patients who may have a misuse problem, and prevent diversion of drugs. The new policy is effective immediately for > 1,200 clinicians working in IHS federally operated facilities. The IHS has also announced that it will train hundreds of law enforcement officers of the Bureau of Indian Affairs on how to use naloxone and provide them with the drug.

The VA is releasing a new policy as well that requires health care providers who prescribe controlled substances to check State PDMPs before prescribing, at least once a year and/or when clinically indicated for renewal or continuation of therapy.

Related: Veterans’ Health and Opioid Safety–Contexts, Risks, and Outreach Implications

President Obama’s budget requests $1.1 billion in new mandatory and discretionary investments over fiscal years 2017 and 2018, to expand access to treatment and prevent opioid misuse and abuse.