Promising roles for pharmacists in addressing the U.S. opioid crisis

Overdoses of prescription or illicit opioids claimed the lives of 91 Americans each day in 2015, and the crisis continues to escalate. As healthcare systems evolve to address the crisis, the potential of pharmacists to make a positive difference is significant. In addition to utilizing available prescription drug monitoring programs to help prevent diversion of opioids, practicing pharmacists can be alert for signs of opioid misuse by patients (e.g., multiple prescriptions from different physicians) as well as inappropriate prescribing or hazardous drug combinations that physicians may not be aware of (e.g., opioid analgesics combined with benzodiazepines).
Source: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Source Type: research