Implementation Of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Associated With Reductions In Opioid-Related Death Rates.

ABSTRACT: Over the past two decades the number of opioid pain relievers sold in the United States rose dramatically. This rise in sales was accompanied by an increase in opioid-related overdose deaths. In response, forty-nine states (all but Missouri) created prescription drug monitoring programs to detect high-risk prescribing and patient behaviors. Our objectives were to determine whether the implementation or particular characteristics of the programs were effective in reducing opioid-related overdose deaths. In adjusted analyses we found that a state's implementation of a program was associated with an average reduction of 1.12 opioid-related overdose deaths per 100,000 population in the year after implementation. Additionally, states whose programs had robust characteristics-including monitorin

SUBMITTER: Patrick SW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5155336 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature