General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5301
February Session, 2016 *_____HB05301PH____040416____*
General Assembly
Substitute Bill No. 5301
February Session, 2016
*_____HB05301PH____040416____*
AN ACT CONCERNING OPIOID ANALGESIC PRESCRIPTIONS ISSUED TO MINORS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2016) (a) A prescribing practitioner, as defined in section 20-571 of the general statutes, who is authorized to prescribe controlled substances in schedule II, III, IV or V, shall, prior to issuing the first prescription for an opioid analgesic in a single course of treatment to a patient under the age of eighteen:
(1) Review the patient's medical records, including, but not limited to, those maintained in the electronic prescription drug monitoring program established pursuant to section 21a-254 of the general statutes, if available;
(2) Assess whether the patient has ever suffered from or currently suffers from a psychiatric disability or substance abuse disorder and whether the patient has taken or is currently taking prescription medication for treatment of such disability or disorder;
(3) Discuss with the patient and the patient's parent or guardian the risks of addiction and overdose associated with opioid analgesics and the dangers of taking opioid analgesics with alcohol, benzodiazepines and other central nervous system depressants; and
(4) Obtain written consent for the prescription from the patient's parent or guardian on a form that shall be separate from any other document the prescribing practitioner uses to obtain informed consent for other treatment provided to the patient, and maintained in the patient's medical record. Such form shall contain:
(A) A statement indicating that the opioid analgesic prescribed has been identified as having a potential for abuse;
(B) A statement certifying that the prescribing practitioner discussed with the patient and the patient's parent or guardian the matters described in subdivision (3) of this subsection;
(C) The number of refills, if any, authorized by the prescription; and
(D) The signature of the patient's parent or guardian and the date of signing.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply if:
(1) The treatment of the patient is associated with or incident to a medical emergency;
(2) The treatment of the patient is associated with or incident to inpatient or outpatient surgery;
(3) The treatment of the patient is rendered in a hospital, emergency facility, ambulatory surgical center, nursing home, respite care program, residential care facility or freestanding rehabilitation facility, unless the prescribing practitioner maintains a primary office on the premises of the hospital, emergency facility, ambulatory surgical center, nursing home, respite care program, residential care facility or freestanding rehabilitation facility;
(4) The prescription is issued at the time of discharge from a hospital, emergency facility, ambulatory surgical center, nursing home, respite care program, residential care facility or freestanding rehabilitation facility; or
(5) In the prescribing practitioner's judgment, complying with the requirements of this section would be a detriment to the patient's health, safety or welfare.
(c) For the purposes of this section, "parent or guardian" means the parent or guardian of a patient under the age of eighteen or, in the case of a patient under the age of eighteen who is an emancipated minor, the patient.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2016 New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
October 1, 2016
New section
KID Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
PH Joint Favorable
KID
Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
PH
Joint Favorable