Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration today continued its fight against the opioid epidemic by releasing updates to two of the 10 prescribing guidelines as set forth by the Safe and Effective Prescribing Practices Task Force.
“These guidelines are an important tool for health care providers in order to promote opioid stewardship to prevent the disease of addiction,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We want to ensure that doctors treating patients with chronic, non-cancer pain and obstetricians and gynecologists have the most up to date information based on the best available science. We also outline various ways for doctors to treat patients for pain without the use of opioids.”
“Proactive prevention is a critical part of fighting the opioid and heroin epidemic,” said Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jennifer Smith. “While prescription opioids can play an important role in a patient’s care and pain management, doctors and patients alike need to understand the dangers that can come from overprescribing and misuse. Closely following these prescribing guidelines will keep protect patients from developing a substance use disorder through opioid misuse.”
The chronic, non-cancer pain guideline recommends co-prescribing naloxone to at-risk patients who are being treated with opioids. A standing order for naloxone is available to anyone who believes that it is necessary for a loved one.
The obstetrics and gynecology guideline includes updated recommendations on expanding patient screening, monitoring patients during treatment and not withdrawing treatment during or shortly after pregnancy.
Both guidelines include updated statistics and information relevant to the individual guidelines. There is also contact information included for referrals to the DDAP Help Line and local resources for people who may have opioid use disorder. A list of recommended resources, including federal guidelines, is also included.
The Safe and Effective Prescribing Practices Task Force, convened by the departments of Health and Drug and Alcohol Programs, includes members from state agencies, medical associations, provider advocates and community members. The task force published the first prescribing guideline in 2014.
These guidelines are one way that the department has continued to work with medical professionals on the opioid epidemic. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has helped eliminate doctor shopping and has reduced the amount of opioids prescribed by 12.6 percent. In addition, work with the legislature and the public health schools has established education curriculum on safe prescribing for medical schools.
On January 10, Governor Wolf signed a statewide disaster declaration for the opioid epidemic to enhance state response, increase access to treatment, and save lives. On April 4, Governor Wolf renewed that disaster declaration, calling on agencies and the legislature to continue their work to help communities and individuals affected by the opioid epidemic.
The disaster declaration focuses on 13 initiatives:
Establishes an Opioid Operational Command Center located at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency;
Expands access to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) to other commonwealth entities for clinical decision-making purposes;
Adds overdoses and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) as Reportable Conditions in Title 28, Chapter 27;
Authorizes an emergency purchase under the procurement code for the 24/7 helpline, 1-800-662-HELP;
Enables Emergency Medical Services providers to leave behind naloxone by amending the current Standing Order;
Waives regulations to allow pharmacists to give greater access to naloxone to prisons and treatment programs;
Allows for the immediate temporary rescheduling of all fentanyl derivatives to align with the federal DEA schedule while working toward permanent rescheduling;
Authorizes emergency purchasing to allow for an emergency contract to expand the advanced body scanner pilot program currently in place at Wernersville that is used on re-entrants returning to the facility;
Waives the face-to-face physician requirement for Narcotic Treatment Program (NTP) to allow initial intake review by a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) or Physician Assistant (PA);
Expands access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by waiving the regulatory provision to permit dosing at satellite facilities;
Waives annual licensing requirements for high-performing drug and alcohol treatment facilities;
Waives the fee provided for in statute for birth certificates for individuals who request a good-cause waiver by attesting that they are affected by Opioid Use Disorder; and
Waives separate licensing requirements for hospitals and emergency departments to expand access to drug and alcohol treatment to allow physicians to administer short-term MAT consistent with DEA regulations without requiring separate notice to DDAP.
Governor Wolf and state agencies have been increasing efforts in the fight against prescription drug abuse in multiple areas, including numerous programs and initiatives:
Working with the legislature to establish a new law limiting the number of opioids that can be prescribed to a minor and to individuals discharged from emergency rooms to seven days;
Strengthening the PDMP through the legislative process so that doctors are required and able to check the system each time they prescribe opioids and benzodiazepines;
Forming new prescribing guidelines to help doctors who provide opioid prescriptions to their patients, including guidelines specific to orthopedics and sports medicine;
Creating the warm handoff guideline to facilitate referrals from the emergency department to substance abuse treatment;
Teaming with the legislature to establish education curriculum on safe prescribing for medical schools; and
Awarding four $1 million grants for medication-assisted treatment using a hub and spoke model for Pennsylvanians who are uninsured, under-insured or have private insurance.
For more information on the state’s efforts to battle the opioid epidemic and to view the dashboard, visit https://www.pa.gov/guides/opioid-epidemic/ or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson, Health, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov,
Ali Fogarty, DDAP, 717-547-3314.
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