Relates to patient counseling before issuing a prescription for a schedule II opioid

4 Co-sponsors

• George Amedore
• Terrence P. Murphy
• Thomas F. O'Mara
• Robert Ortt

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to patient counseling before issuing a prescription for a schedule II opioid

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill will authorize a practitioner to consult with a patient in regards to the quantity of an opioid prescribed.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 establishes that a practitioner must consult with a patient regarding the quantity of an opioid as well as the patient's option to fill the prescription in a lesser quantity. The patient must also be informed of the risk associated with an opioid-related addiction. The reason for the prescription is to be documented in the patient's medical record.

Section 2 states the effective date.

Justification

A rising number of New Yorkers are suffering from opioid addiction that starts with a legal prescription. According to the New York Times, in 2015 75% of heroin addicts had previously been prescribed or used prescription opioids.

In order to combat this crisis, we must give patients the opportunity and right to be prescribed lower doses of pain killers. In a recent study of large chain pharmacies, one pharmacy found "42 outlier prescribers out of more than 1 million. Within that chain alone, the 42 each issued prescriptions for about 5,000 average monthly doses of high-risk drugs over 21 months. On an annual basis that would cumulatively total more than 4 million dosage units" (John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 19).

Statistics have shown that approximately 70% of individuals who use opioid pain relievers on a non-medical basis, received used drugs from either family members or friends (John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 26). These numbers demonstrate that physicians continue to over-prescribe prescription pain killers which can lead to addiction. Patients should have the right to ask for lower dosages of painkillers so they will not have excess medication that could be abused by family members or friends.

Medical practitioners will also be required to document the prescription as well as the dosage in the patient's medical history. This will help track the patients use of addictive pain medication as well as act as a deterrent to physicians who over prescribe opioids.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.