Michigan Reports Progress Against Opioid Use

Originally published by Occupational Health & Safety.

The number of opioid prescriptions issued in 2071 was 10.7 percent below the number in 2015, and the overall number of schedules 2-5 controlled substance prescriptions dispensed fell by 7.1 percent during the same period.

Michigan officials reported progress in reducing use of opioids in the state, saying the number of opioid prescriptions issued in 2071 was 10.7 percent below the number in 2015 and the overall number of schedules 2-5 controlled substance prescriptions dispensed fell by 7.1 percent during the same period. There were 9,670,789 opioid prescriptions issued in the state in 2017, down from 10,883,681 in 2015.

Also, for the first time since 2011, the total number of controlled substance prescriptions dispensed in Michigan during 2017 fell below 20 million, to 19,943,203. (As of 2018, the state’s total population was estimated at 9.9 million.)

The state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs released the prescription totals in conjunction with the 2017 Drug Utilization Report. For the first time since its inception in 2007, the report outlined dispensing behavior by prescriber, dispenser, patient, and county through data collected by the Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) in 2017.

“These figures are promising indicators for our continuing efforts against the opioid epidemic in Michigan,” Lt. Governor Brian Calley said. “The decrease in dispensing means less potentially addictive opioids in our communities. However, in order to continue this positive trend, our health professional and public safety partners must continue a conscientious approach to prescribing and dispensing while managing care for patients.”

Read the full story at: https://ohsonline.com/articles/2018/04/30/michigan-reports-progress-against-opioid-use.aspx