$1 billion opioid bill would limit prescriptions to 3 days

[pbmus]

Sens. Rob Portman and Sheldon Whitehouse — the cosponsors of the opioid bill passed last Congress — introduced an opioid bill today that includes $1 billion in yearly funding to evidence-based programs. It also limits opioid prescriptions to three days to cut down on overprescribing, with exceptions for chronic pain treatment.

Why this matters: The authors' goal is to use this bill as a roadmap for appropriators to determine how to spend the $6 billion over two years in opioid and mental health funding. But it also includes important policy reforms that experts generally say could make a dent in the crisis. Portman said in an interview he hopes his bill gets attached to the upcoming spending bill.

“Overprescribing continues to be a problem. Still, most people who die of heroin overdoses, fentanyl overdoses, started with prescription drugs. Sometimes legally prescribed, sometimes not."

https://www.axios.com/1-billion-opioid-bill-would-limit-prescriptions-to-3-days-2a9326e8-c1e7-4963-bf9e-ab5c7a95dd3e.html

[hlthe2b]

1. There must be an exception made for terminal patients, end stage bone cancer, for example

I didn't see any mention..

[Lochloosa]

2. three days to cut down on overprescribing, with exceptions for chronic pain treatment.

[hlthe2b]

3. thanks.. I missed that

[TBA]

4. Ok Im in a terrible accident

My leg is broken and my foot crushed. Is that chronic pain? Do I or my family members have to do the dance of physically picking up perscription, find a pharmacy to fill it, go get it filled, deliver to patient every three days?


I had to do it for my dying mother every 5 days. Luckily there was one sister to stay with her and another (me) was the morphine runner.