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Group Representing State Doctors Signals Support for Seven-Day Opioid Limit

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Creative Commomns
The proposed bill is intended to stem abuse of opioids.

A major group representing Connecticut doctors said it may support a bill limiting first-time opioid prescriptions if the final legislation allows prescribers some discretion. 

The bill was announced this week and would limit initial opioid prescriptions to seven days for adults suffering from acute pain. For minors, all opioid prescriptions would be limited to a week. Patients could then go back to their doctors and get a refill.

It's a measure meant to stem abuse of the drugs, which, in high doses can cause respiratory failure and death.

"This is obviously something that we know is a severe public health crisis, and our members are heavily involved in doing what they can to help address the crisis," said Ken Ferrucci of the Connecticut State Medical Society, a group representing state physicians and primary care doctors.

Ferrucci said his organization helped start and maintain the state's prescription monitoring program -- and it's pushed for greater availability of drugs like Narcan, which can save the life of an overdosing patient.

"What we're really trying to make sure that we don’t do," Ferrucci said, "is that we don’t pass legislation that really ties the hands of medical professionals to make professional decisions as to what they need to do to treat their patients in the best manner possible."

Right now, the proposed bill and its amended language does allow doctors some leeway.

The initial seven-day cap doesn't apply at all to cancers or to other chronic pain conditions. Doctors can also initially prescribe opioids in higher amounts if deemed medically necessary, as long as it's documented why.

"We think that that's critical," Ferrucci said. "Because there are situations where people need longer-term prescriptions for opioids."

Ferrucci said it's also important lawmakers consider the costs. But as the legislative process shakes out, Ferrucci said his group of doctors is likely to support the seven-day limit, as long as they are able to use their professional judgment to override it when they’re seeing some patients.

Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. He can be reached at pskahill@ctpublic.org.

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