Check out this 60-second PSA for healthcare providers that features two patients beginning opioid therapy by the CDC. Prescription opioids can be prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe pain, but can also have serious risks and side effects. Refer to the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to minimize patient risk.
Visit the California Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard and learn about statewide and geographically-specific non-fatal and fatal opioid-involved overdose and opioid prescription data.
SAFE PRESCRIBING GUIDELINES. THESE GUIDELINES ARE RECOMMENDATIONS ONLY
- Butte County
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Guidelines Factsheet
- CDC Prescribing Guidelines
- More resources from CDC
- Applying CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids: An Online Training Series for Healthcare Providers
- Calculating Total Daily Dose: Higher dosages of opioids are associated with higher risk of overdose and death—even relatively low dosages (20-50 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) per day) increase risk. Higher dosages haven’t been shown to reduce pain over the long term. One randomized trial found no difference in pain or function between a more liberal opioid dose escalation strategy (with average final dosage 52 MME) and maintenance of current dosage (average final dosage 40 MME).
- Pocket Guide: Tapering Opioids for Chronic Pain: Follow up regularly with patients to determine whether opioids are meeting treatment goals and whether opioids can be reduced to lower dosage or discontinued.
- State of California Guidelines
- Comparison of California vs CDC guidelines
- How to obtain your X-waiver : Become X-waivered to provide Suboxone for opioid use disorder.
RECENT OPIOID LEGISLATION
AB 2760/ Woods Law: Naloxone Prescribing
Prescribers are required to offer naloxone when: prescribing 90 or greater MMEs; co-prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines; and conditions with high risk for overdose exist. Previously, offering a prescription for naloxone was “recommended” to high-risk patients. In addition, prescribers are now required to provide overdose and naloxone education to at risk patients such as those with a history of previous overdose or other substance use disorders.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2760
AB 2487: Medication Assisted Treatment Access
Allows physicians to choose a continuing education course on opioid-dependent patient treatment and management instead of a course on pain management and the treatment of terminally ill and dying patients, which is a requirements of medical licensure in CA
SB 212: Prescription Drug and Sharps Take Back
Requires manufacturers and/or distributors of prescription drugs and sharps to develop and implement statewide take back programs. This law will allow for more medication and sharp disposal kiosks and bins all across California; however, it will take around 3 years for the program to become active.
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT
Medication treatment for opioid use disorder in a variety of settings: This guide offers quick, targeted information on how to get started offering OUD treatment medications and other recovery support services in your practice; including emergency medicine settings, FQHC settings, inpatient hospital settings, pediatric settings, and in primary care settings.
Information for Health Professionals in Related Fields
DENTISTS
- American Dental Association
- Association of Opioid Prescriptions From Dental Clinicians for US Adolescents and Young Adults With Subsequent Opioid Use and Abuse
PHARMACISTS
- Opioid Safety: Focus on Furnishing Naloxone: This guide is for community pharmacists. It addresses topics the role of community pharmacists, medication-assisted treatment, and furnishing naloxone.
VETERINARIANS
- The Opioid Epidemic: What Veterinarians Need to Know
- International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management
- American Veterinary Medical Association
List your services on SAMHSA provider list