Bill Text: NJ A4509 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Commissioner of Human Services to develop best practices information for co-prescribing opioid antidotes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-19 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [A4509 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A4509-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Commissioner of Human Services to develop best practices information for co-prescribing opioid antidotes.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning prescribing practices and supplementing P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-1 et al.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Incidents of opioid abuse, addiction, and overdose are on the rise both nationally and in New Jersey.
b. Since 1999, overdose rates involving opioids have nearly quadrupled, and there has been a six-fold increase in the rate of admissions to substance use disorder treatment. These increases correspond with a 400 percent increase in prescription opioid medication sales during the same time period.
c. Over time, people who become addicted to prescription opioids frequently resort to using heroin, fentanyl, and similar drugs, which are cheaper than prescription opioids. The unknown strength and purity of these illegal drugs increases the chances a user may overdose.
d. In 2013, New Jersey enacted the "Overdose Prevention Act," P.L.2013, c.46, (C.24:6J-1 et al.), which allows anyone who may be in a position to assist a person experiencing an opioid overdose to obtain an opioid antidote, such as naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an overdose and help save the overdose victim's life.
e. Since 2014, police and emergency medical technicians have administered naloxone more than 18,000 times. In 2016, naloxone was administered approximately 21.8 times per day, putting it on pace to be administered over 8,000 times by the end of the year.
f. Increased access to naloxone has helped reduce the number of overdose deaths and served as a bridge linking overdose victims to treatment programs, as well as other services and resources designed to promote recovery.
g. The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services plans, monitors, evaluates, and regulates substance use disorder prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery resources, making it the primary State authority coordinating efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.
h. The practice of "co-prescribing," or issuing a prescription for an opioid antidote along with a prescription for an opioid medication, will further facilitate access to opioid antidotes for those who may be in a position to assist an overdose victim.
i. It is therefore appropriate for the Commissioner of Human Services to develop best practices information on co-prescribing for the use of health care practitioners, so as to help ensure these life-saving medications are in right the hands in an emergency.
2. a. No later than 180 days after the effective date of this act, the Commissioner of Human Services shall develop, and make available to health care practitioners, information on best practices for co-prescribing opioid antidotes to patients.
b. The best practices information developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall identify situations in which co-prescribing an opioid antidote may be appropriate, including, but not limited to:
(1) in conjunction with a prescription for an opioid medication, under circumstances in which the health care practitioner determines the patient is at an elevated risk for an opioid drug overdose;
(2) in conjunction with medications prescribed pursuant to a course of medication therapy management for the treatment of a substance use disorder involving opioids; and
(3) under any other circumstances in which a health care practitioner identifies a patient as being at an elevated risk for an opioid drug overdose.
c. The best practices information developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include guidelines for determining when a patient is at an elevated risk for an opioid drug overdose, including, but not limited to:
(1) situations in which the patient is starting a first course of opioid treatment;
(2) situations in which the patient is receiving extended release or long-acting opioid medications;
(3) situations in which the patient exhibits signs or symptoms of opioid abuse or dependency or the patient's prescription monitoring information indicates the patient may have a substance use disorder;
(4) situations in which the patient has a documented history of an alcohol or substance use disorder or a mental health disorder; and
(5) situations in which the patient has a respiratory ailment or other co-morbidity that may be exacerbated by the use of opioid medications.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to develop, and make available to health care practitioners, information on best practices for co-prescribing opioid antidotes to certain patients.
Specifically, co-prescribing may be appropriate when a health care practitioner: (1) is prescribing opioid medications to a patient whom the practitioner determines is at an elevated risk of an opioid drug overdose; (2) is prescribing medications pursuant to a course of medication therapy management to treat a substance use disorder involving opioids; or (3) a health care practitioner otherwise identifies a patient as being at an elevated risk for an opioid drug overdose.
The information on best practices will include guidelines for determining when a patient is at an elevated risk of overdose, which may include, but not be limited to: (1) situations in which the patient is starting a first course of opioid treatment; (2) situations in which the patient is receiving extended release or long-acting opioid medications; (3) situations in which the patient exhibits signs or symptoms of opioid abuse or dependency or the patient's prescription monitoring information indicates the patient may have a substance use disorder; (4) situations in which the patient has a documented history of an alcohol or substance use disorder or a mental health disorder; and (5) situations in which the patient has a respiratory ailment or other co-morbidity that may be exacerbated by the use of opioid medications.
Opioid antidotes, such as naloxone, can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose by blocking the body's opioid receptors. When administered in a timely manner in combination with other emergency treatments, opioid antidotes can save an overdose victim's life. This bill is intended to help ensure opioid antidotes are widely available to counteract potential overdose incidents.
