Broad Cross-Section of Medical Professionals Prescribing Prescription Opioids

Researchers have examined Medicare claims from 2013 to see which doctors prescribed opioids (including OxyContin, morphine and codeine) and how many prescriptions they filled. Research found that these drugs are being prescribed by a broad cross-section of medical professionals, rather than concentrated among a small group of practitioners. While it is not surprising that pain management specialists and anesthesiologists wrote the most prescriptions for opioids when compared to other specialties, primary care physicians such as family practitioners had the highest volume of opioid prescriptions since there are more primary care physicians than specialists. As such, primary care physicians should recognize that future efforts to curb opioid prescribing (including but not limited to state licensing and DEA registration actions) are likely to focus on them. Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines urging physicians to take a more conservative approach to prescriptions and to closely monitor their patients’ use of opioids.

“Broader Strategies Necessary to Counter Painkiller Over Prescribing, Researchers Say” [link]

Robert S. Iwrey, Esq., a founding partner of The Health Law Partners, P.C., practices in all areas of healthcare law and devotes a substantial portion of his practice assisting clients in pharmacy legal matters including compliance, third party payor audits, government investigations, state licensing and DEA registrations. For more information regarding this article, please contact Robert S. Iwrey, Esq. at (248) 996-8510 or (212) 734-0128 or riwrey@thehlp.com.