Reductions in Prescription Opioid Diversion Following Recent Legislative Interventions in Florida

Author(s)

Hilary L. Surratt, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Catherine O'Grady, Nova Southeastern University
Steven P. Kurtz, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Yamilka Stivers, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Theodore J. Cicero, Washington University in St. LouisFollow
Richard C. Dart, Denver Health and Hospital Authority
Minxing Chen, The University of Texas

ORCID ID

0000-0003-4027-7840, 0000-0002-4716-3398, 0000-0001-5989-9354, 0000-0002-1247-8752

ResearcherID

K-3072-2014, H-3010-2014

Publication Title

Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety

ISSN

1053-8569

Publication Date

3-2014

Abstract

PURPOSE: Florida has been at the center of the nation's ongoing prescription opioid epidemic, with largely unregulated pain clinics and lax prescribing oversight cited as significant contributors to the opioid problem in the state.

METHODS: In an effort to mitigate prescription opioid abuse and diversion in Florida, legislative interventions were implemented during 2010 and 2011, which included two primary elements: (i) comprehensive legislation to better regulate the operation of pain clinics; and (ii) a statewide prescription drug monitoring program to promote safer prescribing practices. Using systematic longitudinal data collected on a quarterly basis from law enforcement agencies across Florida, this report examined changes in prescription opioid diversion rates following implementation of these regulatory initiatives. Quarterly diversion rates for buprenorphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and tramadol were calculated, and subsequently, hierarchical linear models were fit to test for differences in diversion rates over the 15 quarter period of interest.

RESULTS: Significant declines in diversion rates were observed for oxycodone, methadone, and morphine; hydrocodone displayed a marginally significant decline.

CONCLUSIONS: This study documented reductions in statewide opioid diversion rates following implementation of Florida's pain clinic and prescription drug monitoring program legislative interventions. Although these initial findings appear promising, continued surveillance of diversion is clearly warranted.

DOI

10.1002/pds.3553

Volume

23

Issue

3

First Page

314

Last Page

320

NSUWorks Citation

Surratt, H. L., O'Grady, C., Kurtz, S. P., Stivers, Y., Cicero, T. J., Dart, R. C., & Chen, M. (2014). Reductions in Prescription Opioid Diversion Following Recent Legislative Interventions in Florida. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 23 (3), 314-320. https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.3553