Prescription Opioids Affect Addiction Treatment

NORMAN, Okla. - Aug. 27, 2018 - PRLog -- Lawsuits have been issued by the state's attorney general against pharmaceutical companies.

The lawsuits claim that these companies misled the public and physicians through marketing materials regarding the additive qualities of opioid medications.

One case involving Purdue Pharma is currently creating controversy. It was recently determined that the case would be heard at the District Court level in Cleveland County instead of at a federal level. State legal representatives have further alleged that Purdue Pharma has been violating court orders. The controversy arises out of whether Purdue was required to produce witnesses at an upcoming deposition. Purdue lawyers have argued that they are not in violation. It is uncertain whether any further delays may result in a settlement in lieu of the case going to trial.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported that approximately two-thirds of drug poisoning deaths were the result of prescription medication misuse from 2012 to 2016. More than 60 percent of those overdose deaths involved opioid painkillers.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Oklahoma physicians wrote nearly 4 million opioid prescriptions in 2015.

Recent legislation has been passed to address the effects of the state's opioid crisis. House Bill 1948 instituted new requirements for physicians, mandating that they check the prescription monitoring program in certain cases before prescribing opioid-based medications.

In addition, a new policy will be enacted in the state by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The policy may lower prescription drug costs and create accountability for pharmaceutical companies. The state will negotiate with companies to determine a cost-effective price for specific drugs and reimburse them partially or in full based on the medication's treatment efficacy.

https://www.drugaddictionnow.com/2018/08/24/prescription-opioids-affect-addiction-treatment-norman/