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Classification of Hydrocodone as a Schedule II Drug
In October 2014, The DEA changed hydrocodone combination analgesics from Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act to the more restrictive Schedule II to reduce drug abuse.
Since then, the number of prescriptions and tablets dispensed has diminished drastically, according to a January 2016 research paper published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The change in scheduling and recent legislation that allows pharmacists in many states to dispense naloxone means pharmacists’ expanded role in the stewardship of prescription opioids.
Twelve months after rescheduling, dispensed hydrocodone combination prescriptions had already declined by 22%; administered tablets fell by 16%. That’s a drop by 26.3 million prescriptions and 1.1 billion pills.
“We get a lot of postsurgical patients. Before the rescheduling, you would see prescriptions for 80 tablets. You’re lucky to see 30 tablets for outpatient surgery,” said Paul Brand, PharmD, AE-C, owner of Florence Pharmacy in Florence, MT.
Updates On Changes In Hydrocodone Prescribing Practices
Prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances can’t be faxed in, phoned in, or placed on auto-refill. The research letter asserted that refills accounted for 73.7% of the drop in dispensed hydrocodone combination tablets.
Brand said that doctors still write three months’ prescriptions, but they’ll write three separate 1-month scripts, with precise dates on which the patient can fill them. Although patients don’t need to return to the doctor after every month to get a refill, they don’t have access to a three-month supply of hydrocodone at once.
Some prescribers are taking extra voluntary steps to ensure the appropriate use of pain medication. Brand has seen an uptick in pain contracts—contracts between patients and prescribers that the patient will not, for instance, get a narcotic prescription from any other prescriber or fill at different pharmacies.
“You used to only see such agreements at pain clinics. Now you’re seeing them with the family practice doctors as well,” Brand said.
A rising number of prescribers are writing prescriptions for 28 days rather than 30, so they always run out on a business day. Brand added, “Patients can pick it up every four weeks on a Thursday, for instance, and they know and comprehend that they’re not going to be able to get it a few days early.”
Before the rescheduling, those who consistently refilled early could accumulate a few extra prescriptions per year. If a patient needs to fill first for a legitimate reason, the original fill date stays the same.
Hydrocodone Addiction news Reports on Signs of Success
Rescheduling coincided with a slight rise in dispensed prescriptions for non-hydrocodone combination product opioid analgesics, says the JAMA research letter.
Nevertheless, the percentage of Americans who used an illicit drug in 2014 was higher than in any year from 2002 to 2013; this was driven primarily by the use of non-medical pain relievers, marijuana, and heroin, according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine contends that the increase in heroin use is not linked to hydrocodone’s rescheduling but to increased accessibility, lower market price, and high purity of heroin.
Ultimately, Brand sees that his patients, who are farmers and ranchers with chronic pain, continue to get the medication they need. “I was pretty hesitant when I first saw that it was going to be rescheduled. I didn’t think it was necessarily going to be a good thing, but I’ve reversed positions now.”
Start Your Recovery Journey Today
At United Recovery Project, we offer intensive and unique programs for patients dealing with hydrocodone addiction. We offer various luxury treatment services to our patients including: drug detox, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs & sober living and alumni program.
Throughout your stay at the facility, you will be monitored by a team of specialists to ensure you have a comfortable and safe recovery process. If you or someone you love is struggling with a hydrocodone addiction, do not hesitate to call us on: 855-580-4810 to start your drug addiction treatment.
