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. 2018 Jul 1:188:169-174.
doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.03.036. Epub 2018 May 1.

Mandatory review of a prescription drug monitoring program and impact on opioid and benzodiazepine dispensing

Erin L Winstanley  1 , Yifan Zhang  2 , Rebecca Mashni  3 , Sydney Schnee  4 , Jonathan Penm  5 , Jill Boone  6 , Cameron McNamee  7 , Neil J MacKinnon  6
Affiliations

Mandatory review of a prescription drug monitoring program and impact on opioid and benzodiazepine dispensing

Erin L Winstanley et al. Drug Alcohol Depend. .

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine whether Ohio House Bill 341, which mandated the use of Ohio's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), was an effective regulatory strategy to reduce opioid and benzodiazepine dispensing.

Method: Secondary analysis of Ohio's PDMP data on prescription opioids and benzodiazepines dispensed from November 2014 to March 2017. An interrupted time series analysis was conducted to determine if there was a significant change in the quantity of opioids and benzodiazepines dispensed.

Results: After HB341 became effective in April 2015, there was a statistically significant decrease in the monthly quantity (number of pills) opioids and benzodiazepines dispensed in Ohio. There was a modest increase in the mean days' supply of opioids and no change in the mean morphine equivalent dose.

Conclusions: Legislation in Ohio requiring prescribers to check the PDMP was effective in reducing the quantity of opioids and benzodiazepines dispensed.

Keywords: Benzodiazepines; Dispensing; Policy; Prescription opioids.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

No conflict declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Panel A: Monthly Quantity of Opioids Dispensed and HB341 Effective Date. Panel B: Monthly Quantity of Opioids Dispensed, HB341 Effective Date and Enforcement Letter Date. Panel C: Monthly Quantity of Benzodiazepines Dispensed and HB341 Effective Date. Panel D: Monthly Quantity of Benzodiazepines Dispensed, HB341 Effective Date and Enforcement Letter Date.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Panel A: Mean Day’s Supply of Opioids and HB341 Effective Date. Panel B: Mean Day’s Supply of Benzodiazepines and HB341 Effective Date. Panel C: Mean MME per opioid prescription and HB341 Effective Date.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Multiple Provider Episodes from 2015 to 2016 for Opioids and Benzodiazepines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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