Law revises opioid prescribing rules and pain care

The law revises opioid prescribing provisions, including rules for acute pain. These provisions concern practitioners prescribing opioids, including for acute pain. The text also requires checks of prescription records before starting opioid therapy and at least every three months for patients maintained on continuous opioid therapy for pain for three months or longer. The act takes effect upon passage.

The law sets out rules for prescribing, administering, or dispensing controlled substances for specified pain care. The provisions cover chronic pain, chronic intractable pain, cancer-related pain, sickle cell pain, palliative or end-of-life care, and other conditions allowed by health department rules. Practitioners must document the diagnosis and treatment, check prescription records, verify methadone or buprenorphine use, refer patients to a specialist when appropriate, and use a written treatment agreement. Concern about possible substance use disorder alone is not a reason to withhold treatment. Practitioners may not knowingly provide drugs for non-therapeutic use or diversion, and practitioners or pharmacists may deny a prescription based on clinical judgment. The act takes effect upon passage.

The law repeals the separate Intractable Pain Treatment chapter. The repealed chapter concerned treating intractable pain with controlled substances. The act takes effect upon passage.