Bill > H5615

This bill revises sections of Rhode Island's Uniform Controlled Substances Act to modify regulations around opioid prescribing and pain management. Specifically, the bill introduces new definitions for types of pain, including "acute pain" (less than 30 days duration) and "chronic intractable pain" (excruciating, constant, and debilitating pain). It updates guidelines for practitioners prescribing opioids, requiring them to prescribe the lowest effective dosage for acute pain and limiting initial opioid prescriptions to a seven-day supply. The bill removes specific opioid dosage requirements and repeals the existing chapter on intractable pain treatment. For patients with chronic intractable pain, practitioners are allowed more flexibility in prescribing controlled substances, provided they document the diagnosis, check the prescription drug monitoring program, and enter into a written treatment agreement. The bill also clarifies that concerns about potential substance use disorder should not prevent treating chronic pain, while still maintaining provisions that allow practitioners to deny prescriptions based on clinical judgment. These changes aim to provide more nuanced guidance for pain management, balancing the need to treat pain effectively with concerns about potential opioid misuse.

Health and Social Services

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