The effectiveness of prescription drug monitoring programs at reducing opioid-related harms and consequences: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In order to address the opioid crisis in North America, many regions have adopted preventative strategies, such as prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). PDMPs aim to increase patient safety by certifying that opioids are prescribed in appropriate quantities. We aimed to synthesize the literature on changes in opioid-related harms and consequences, an important measure of PDMP effectiveness.

Methods

We completed a systematic review. We conducted a narrative synthesis of opioid-related harms and consequences from PDMP implementation. Outcomes were grouped into categories by theme: opioid dependence, opioid-related care outcomes, opioid-related adverse events, and opioid-related legal and crime outcomes.

Results

We included a total of 22 studies (49 P

SUBMITTER: Rhodes E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6825333 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature