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New Effort To Curb Opioid Abuse Clears Legislative Hurdle
Daniela Altimari-3:00 pm, March 25, 2015
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A new government effort to curb abuse of prescription opioids cleared a key legislative on Wednesday.

House Bill 6856 would require medical practitioners to check a patient's record in the state's prescription drug monitoring program before prescribing more than three days worth of narcotic pain medication.

The measure, which cleared the public health committee, seeks to address "doctor-shopping," the practice, common among some addicts, to rely on multiple physicians to secure a supply of prescription painkillers.

By requiring prescribers to check a database, physicians and other medical professionals would learn if a patient has filled multiple prescriptions for the same drug, Rep. Peggy Sayers said. "Most doctors recognize the growing problem we have with opioid use and the real need to do whatever we can do to help people before it becomes a major problem,'' said Sayers, D-Windsor Locks.

Rep. Christie Carpino, R-Cromwell, said she supports the goals of the bill. But she expressed concerns about the potential for infringement on a patient's right to protect their medical privacy.

"Privacy and Big Brother [are]... very relevant,'' she said. "As government gets larger and larger and gets more and more involved with our lives, it collects more data...the information includes the patient's first name, last name and street address including zip code. I think this is a bit too much information.

Carpino added: "Good bill, ought to pass for today but I think the ability of the state to control this information, hopefully to safeguard this information, is something we need to take a bigger look at.''

The bill also includes a number of other provisions. It would allow pharmacists to dispense naloxone hydrochloride, an antidote to opioid overdose sold under the trade name Narcan. It would extend to pharmacists the same immunity that currently applies to other prescribers of Narcan.

And the bill mandates that physicians, dentists and other medical providers who dispense narcotic painkillers complete a continuing education program on pain management and opioids.

Prescription painkiller abuse is a growing problem. Connecticut has seen a steep spike in fatal opioid overdoses, from 174 deaths in 2012 to 257 in 2013 and 307 last year, according to figures provided by Attorney General George Jepsen, who backs the bill.

"The intention of this bill is to address this chronic problem in our state,'' said Terry Gerratana, co-chairwoman of the health committee.

At a public hearing last week, committee members heard powerful and personal testimony on the painful toll of prescription drug abuse.

Gary Mendell, predicted the legislation would save lives. His oldest son, Brian, killed himself at 25 after struggling with addiction. In the aftermath of his son's death, Mendell founded Shatterproof, a national advocacy group based in Norwalk that is dedicated to addressing addiction.

"Since my son passed away just over three years ago, I wake up every morning knowing what I cannot change: My son will not be coming home,'' Mendell said in written testimony presented to the commission. "But I also wake up knowing what we can change. Today this committee can move this bill forward, in its current form, and substantially reduce the enormous loss of life due to an overdose in Connecticut."

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.







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