Ohio imposing new rules on distributors to battle opioid epidemic
Citing “vague and inconsistent” federal reporting standards, Ohio will require drug distributors to report and halt suspicious orders of prescription painkillers in hopes of further reducing opioid addiction and deaths.
The state’s proposed rules, expected to take effect in three to four months, would require drug distributors to detect — and not ship — suspicious orders of opioids to pharmacies and hospitals, such as orders that are large when compared to past purchases.
Ohio Board of Pharmacy officials and Gov. John Kasich outlined the proposal at a Thursday press conference at the Statehouse while admitting much still needs to be done to rein in street sales of opioids fueling an ever-increasing number of overdose deaths.
The more than 500 state-licensed drug distributors and wholesalers will be required to report more-detailed information to the state for analysis to flag distributors and pharmacies that may attempt to sidestep the new rules. Violations could lead to the loss of distributors’ state license.
The rules, which are being posted for public comment and feedback from distributors, would deem any opioid order in excess of 5,000 doses a month as suspicious and require further scrutiny.
A Cardinal Health, based in suburban Columbus, is one of the country’s largest distributors. A spokesman said in a statement, “We look forward to working with the governor and Board of Pharmacy on these important rules. We take our role in the supply chain seriously and as such we operate a state of the art system to prevent the diversion of opioids from legitimate medical use.”
Reporting requirements for pharmacies and physicians and limits on opioid prescriptions have reduced the amount dispensed by 20 percent from 2012 to 2016 while also reducing deaths,
but the availability of street drugs, particularly deadly fentanyl, remains alarming, Kasich said.
“The time has come for our communities to work to kill this devil that lurks on our streets, in our schools and in our communities,” the governor said of illicit opioid sales.
Drug overdoses, largely from opioids, killed 4,329 people in Ohio in 2016, a 24-percent increase over 2015 and the second-highest death rate in the nation, according to federal figures.
As part of the battle to fight opioid abuse and availability, a law that took effect Sept. 1 placed limits on the pain-pill prescriptions written by Ohio physicians, dentists and others. The new requirements limit patients to a seven-day supply of opioids — five days for minors — for the treatment of short-term pain. Refills can be prescribed only if physicians or other medical professionals document the need for extending pain-relief medication.
Prior to the law, voluntary guidelines cut the number of overdose deaths from opioid prescriptions from 667 in 2015 to 564 in 2016. State officials say 80 percent of those who died from drug overdoses in 2016 previously had received legally prescribed opioids.
Joined by several cities and counties in separate actions, the office of Attorney General Mike DeWine is suing five drug manufacturers for improperly peddling and profiting from opioid sales. Talks have started with some of the companies about a potential settlement to generate funds for opioid education and treatment.
DeWine has indicated he may sue drug distributors, but still is reviewing the matter, spokesman Dan Tierney said.
The attorney general was “encouraged” after attending a hearing in federal court in Cleveland on Wednesday before a judge working to broker a settlement of more than 200 opioid-related lawsuits filed by counties and municipalities against drug manufacturers and distributors.
“While our office is confident we will prevail in our lawsuit should it proceed to trial in Ross County, the process underway in federal court in Cleveland is notable in that it is seeking to provide substantive help to governments dealing with the opioid epidemic through reaching a settlement sooner,” Tierney said.
Someone needs to do the MATH on 5000 doses/month purchased by a pharmacy/month.. the average dose of Norco 10 is ONE TABLET FOUR TIMES DAILY… so any pharmacy filling more than 10 prescriptions PER WEEK would be exceeding this ARBITRARY MONTHLY LIMIT
Ohio has a population of 11.6 million.. so using conservative average estimates… Ohio would have 600,000 chronic pain pts are are 24/7 dependent on a opiate. and another 3+ million of chronic pain pts that have AT LEAST a “as needed” need for opiates to treat their pain.
On the other side of the coin… a dose of FENTANYL patch … a pt will only use 10 doses/month… so 5000 doses of Fentanyl would cover the needs of 500 pts for a month but 5000 Norco doses would only cover the needs of 40 + pts. Some very busy pharmacies will dispense 5000 Norco doses EVERY DAY.
Then there are reports out of Ohio where 99% of the OD’s … illegal Fentanyl showed up in toxicology
Dayton Ohio area: 99% of opiate OD’s tested positive for ILLEGAL FENTANYL ANALOG
And how is restricting opiate distribution from wholesalers going to address the illegal opiates that are flooding the streets in Ohio ?
Since it seem apparent that this new law could be in violation of the Americans with Disability Act… since a lot of the restriction are focused directly at the millions of Ohio pts who have a valid medical need for opiates.
One thing that my money is on is that the ACLU will NOT GIVE A SHIT about all of these civil rights and human rights being denied by the state of Ohio. Since violation of the civil rights of chronic pain pts has never been part of their agenda.
Filed under: General Problems
At this point, I’m now betting that these idiots’ heads are permanently stuck in their dumb asses. I’ve never witnessed so much ignorance, arrogance and corruption until now. I literally can’t wait until these jackasses meet karma.
What a joke!! Also, Kaisch thinks he is running for President!! What a joke!
I live in Ohio and the amount of doctors that are cutting CPP off their pain meds that they have needed for year’s are staggering. Also hospitals are treating pain with less effective pain doses and pushing aspirin. It’s crazy.
I just read an article in our local paper that explained the government has the names and addresses of those who have ordered illegal drugs threw the mail and shipping threw UPS. It stated what a big problem that was. You think? Why don’t they crack down on those people? Maybe they can get the real violators.
Ohio is awful!
Agreed! Its those that use illegal drugs and abuse them, not the cpp, who has to be `vetted` b4 treatment, and while on it. You are correct, imo, that they consider addicts and their treatments, but, cpp, are treated like drug seeking addicts because we are in pain, seeking relief. Seems to me, that by passive genocide, they are culling the herd, to stop paying out ss , and ssi, disabilty checks, food stamps , programs and services , to those unable to work . Sounds crazy, but, think about it. Jmo.
This is going to be a stupid question I’m sure but I’m going to ask anyway. Why is the government, CDC, FDA, DEA etc so focused on opioids that kill what 42,000ish people a year (of course these figures include not just legal prescription opioid overdoses alone but also illegal street drugs mixed with legally prescribed opioids or a mix of alcohol and other medications with legal opioids not to mention the suicides that get lumped in due to being cut off from pain medications) so that 42,000ish number isn’t even right, but why the focus on opioids when smoking tobacco causes almost a half a million deaths a year? Why are we allowing this tragedy or EPIDEMIC?! Why not focus on alcohol even? There’s more deaths with alcohol than opioids why not target alcohol even? I’ve always been taught to follow the money. How do these agencies benefit from taking chronic pain patients medications away? I mean obviously they know that people in pain management have contracts and pill counts and urine tests so they can’t honestly say all pain patients abuse their medications when we bend over backwards to prove otherwise at a large expense. My corrupt pain management clinic even tried to make me get the genetic testing for drug metabolization yet I already had one done for 2000 dollars (out of my pocket) through my primary physician the year before because I knew I didn’t metabolize pain medications right and I wanted proof. I was tired of being treated like an addict or hearing the snarky insinuations from others when my medications were not enough. And I was right I am a rapid metabolizer of several pain medications and the one I’m on currently interferes with Paxil (which I take) and makes the hydrocodone less effective. Despite showing them this they still wanted to have me get the test through thier lab they work with and all this knowing they were going to cut my medications! Also despite my test results my doctor is too afraid to change my pain medications from hydrocodone to oxycodone because of the negative attention oxycodone gets. So I’m stuck with a less effective drug (even with my proof) because of fear that gets laid on these doctors. It makes no logical sense to me.
What part of the difference between legal and illegal drugs can’t these idiots understand?? It’s not prescribed medication that is killing their precious street addicts but ILLEGAL DRUGS! Once again the responsible patient is being blamed and thrown under bus!