Berliner Commends CVS Drug Store’s Decision to Limit Painkiller Prescriptions
Montgomery County Council President, Roger Berliner, who serves who on the council’s health and human services committee, said CVS Pharmacy’s new policy to limit opioid prescriptions is a step in the right direction.
CVS announced a new policy earlier this week aimed to combat the national opioid abuse epidemic.
Starting in February of 2018, the company’s new program will limit opioid prescriptions to seven days for certain conditions, according to a news release.
“One of the biggest issues with opioid overdose is the over prescription of opioids,” Berliner said. “I think it’s terrific that CVS is making sure that they don’t contribute to that problem.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescription drug sales in the United States quadrupled between 1999 and 2014. During this same time period, prescription opioid overdose deaths increased by nearly the same amount.
In addition to limiting certain medications used for pain, CVS Pharmacy ‘s president, Larry Merlo, announced that retail locations will strengthen counseling for patients by providing an educational program that highlights opioid safety and the dangers of addiction.
“Without a doubt, addressing our nation’s opioid crisis calls for a multipronged effort involving many health care stakeholders from doctors, dentists and pharmaceutical companies to pharmacies and government officials,” Merlo said in a statement. “With this expansion of our industry-leading initiatives, we are further strengthening our commitment to help providers and patients balance the need for these powerful medications with the risk of abuse and misuse.”
News | @CVSHealth Fighting National Opioid Abuse Epidemic With Enterprise Initiatives https://t.co/P11cp0i5pm
— CVS Health (@CVSHealth) September 21, 2017
Engage us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Tweets by @mymcmedia