HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is cutting down the number of opioids prescribed in the state.
The program shows when a patient has gotten multiple prescriptions filled from different doctors in a short amount of time. In a meeting Tuesday, officials say they’ve seen an almost 25% reduction in opioid prescriptions in the state and doctor shopping has been nearly eliminated.
“We want to prevent patients from becoming dependent and potentially addicted to opioids. So, we have been working with the medical community in terms of helping them monitor their prescriptions,” says PA Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine.
Officials also talked about a new Patient Advocacy Program that will launch later this year. It will allow the department to intervene on behalf of patients who aren’t getting the medicine they need.