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Nor will they be considered to have engaged in unprofessional conduct , for failing to offer , prescribe or administer a controlled substance containing an opioid . However , a licensing board may limit or suspend the license , or assess fines , should the provider recklessly or negligently fail to comply with a patient ’ s form .
Continuing Education The General Assembly passed SB 1202 , legislation that requires the following of health care providers :
• Applicants for an initial license must obtain at least two hours of education in pain management or identification of addiction , and at least two hours of education in the practice of prescribing or dispensing opioids . They may complete this requirement as part of their professional degree educational program or from a continuing education ( CE ) program taken within 12 months of obtaining an initial license or certificate .
• Dispensers and prescribers applying to renew their licenses or certificates must complete at least two hours of CE in pain management , identification of addiction or the practice of prescribing or dispensing of opioids as a portion of the total CE required for biennial renewal .
Licensing boards are tasked with working with the Department of State to approve courses for pain management , identification of addiction , and the practices of prescribing and dispensing of opioids .
Governor Wolf signed SB 1202 , now Act 124 , into law on November 2 . The law became effective on January 1 . PDA will continue to apprise you of developments as the licensing boards begin the process of approving curricula and CE courses .
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program The legislature used SB 1202 to amend the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescription Drug Program Act to change the way in which dispensers and prescribers query the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program ( PDMP ) database .
A dispenser must now query the PDMP system before dispensing an opioid drug product or a benzodiazepine prescribed to a patient if any of the following apply :
• The patient is a new patient of the dispenser .
• The patient pays cash when they have insurance .
• The patient requests a refill early .
• The patient is getting opioid drug products or benzodiazepines from more than one prescriber .
The original law required prescribers to query the PDMP system for each patient the first time the patient is prescribes a controlled substance by the prescriber , for purposes of establishing a baseline and thorough medical record . The law also now requires prescribers to query the system if they believe , or have reason to believe using sound clinical judgment , that a patient may be abusing or diverting drugs OR each time a patient is prescribed an opioid drug product or benzodiazepine . This means that prescribers have a choice to either query the system each time they prescribe to a patient OR to query the system if they have reason to believe a patient is abusing or diverting drugs .
Prescribing Drugs In SB 1367 , now Act 126 , prescribers must comply with the following procedure before issuing to a minor the first prescription in a single course of treatment for a controlled substance containing an opioid ( regardless of whether the dosage is modified during that course of treatment ):
• Assess whether the minor has taken or is currently taking prescription drugs for treatment of a substance use disorder .
• Discuss with the minor and the minor ’ s parent , guardian or authorized adult all of the following : 1 . The risks of addiction and overdose associated with the controlled substance .
2 . The increased risk of addiction to controlled substances for individuals suffering from mental or substance use disorders .
3 . The dangers of taking a controlled substance containing an opioid with benzodiazepines , alcohol or other central nervous system depressants .
• Obtain written consent for the prescription from the minor ’ s parent , guardian or authorized adult . The prescriber should obtain the consent using forms to be created by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs and made available to all prescribers .
The form must contain all of the following :
1 . The brand name or generic name and quantity of the controlled substance containing an opioid being prescribed and the amount of the initial dose .
2 . A statement indicating that a controlled substance is a drug or other substance that the U . S . Drug Enforcement Agency has identified as having a potential for abuse .
3 . A statement certifying that the prescriber engaged discussed risks with the patient .
8 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL