26-1-36 - Duty to establish program to reduce deaths and other harm from prescription opiates used for chronic noncancer pain.
26-1-36. Duty to establish program to reduce deaths and other harm fromprescription opiates used for chronic noncancer pain.
(1) As used in this section, "opiate" means any drug or other substance having anaddiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability similar to morphine or being capable ofconversion into a drug having addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability.
(2) In addition to the duties listed in Section 26-1-30, the department shall develop andimplement a two-year program in coordination with the Division of Professional Licensing, theUtah Labor Commission, and the Utah attorney general, to:
(a) investigate the causes of and risk factors for death and nonfatal complications ofprescription opiate use and misuse in Utah for chronic pain by utilizing the Utah ControlledSubstance Database created in Section 58-37f-201;
(b) study the risks, warning signs, and solutions to the risks associated with prescriptionopiate medications for chronic pain, including risks and prevention of misuse and diversion ofthose medications;
(c) provide education to health care providers, patients, insurers, and the general publicon the appropriate management of chronic pain, including the effective use of medical treatmentand quality care guidelines that are scientifically based and peer reviewed; and
(d) educate the public regarding:
(i) the purpose of the Controlled Substance Database established in Section 58-37f-201;and
(ii) the requirement that a person's name and prescription information be recorded on thedatabase when the person fills a prescription for a schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substance.
(3) The department shall report on the development and implementation of the programrequired in Subsection (2) to the legislative Health and Human Services Interim Committee andthe legislative Business and Labor Interim Committee no later than the November interimmeetings in 2008 and 2009. Each report shall include:
(a) recommendations on:
(i) use of the Utah Controlled Substance Database created in Section 58-37f-201 toidentify and prevent:
(A) misuse of opiates;
(B) inappropriate prescribing; and
(C) adverse outcomes of prescription opiate medications;
(ii) interventions to prevent the diversion of prescription opiate medications; and
(iii) medical treatment and quality care guidelines that are:
(A) scientifically based; and
(B) peer reviewed; and
(b) (i) a measure of results against expectations under the program as of the date of thereport; and
(ii) an analysis of the application of the program, use of the appropriated funds, and theimpact and results of the use of the funds.
(4) The report provided under Subsection (3) for the 2008 interim shall also provide afinal cumulative analysis of the measurable effectiveness of the program implemented under thissection.
Amended by Chapter 287, 2010 General Session