A national study finds opioid prescriptions are falling across the U-S but in one-third of Iowa’s counties, those prescriptions are rising. Kevin Gabbert heads Iowa’s State Opioid Treatment Authority. He says state officials are trying to get more physicians to use the Prescription Monitoring Program or P-M-P, which can help prevent patients from getting opioids they don’t need.
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The study from the Centers for Disease Control covered the years 2010 to 2015. The C-D-C encourages doctors to consider non-opioid methods for treating pain because prescription opioids are associated with increasing abuse and overdose rates. Gabbert says prescriptions are declining in states that have seen the highest rates of abuse and overdose deaths.
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Gabbert says state officials are trying to raise awareness among doctors and patients to reduce prescription opioid use. Some states require healthcare providers to use the P-M-P. Gabbert says Iowa officials are making changes to the system to make it more accessible for doctors.