Controlled Substances Heard in House and Senate

Feb 9, 2024
Legislation to limit opioid prescriptions, a high priority for the governor, awaits both Senate and House committees.
On Wednesday, Jan. 9, the Senate Health Policy Committee workshopped SB 8 by Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto (RFort Myers), and the House Health Quality Subcommittee unanimously passed out of committee HB 21 by Rep. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), with a technical amendment. These bills attempt to make changes to the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances. This legislation is a priority for the governor who has requested $50 million for this year’s budget to address the opioid addiction crisis. The legislation would limit a prescription for a Schedule II opioid for the treatment of acute pain to a three-day supply. Practitioners would be able to write a prescription for a seven-day supply if the practitioner deemed it “medically necessary.” In the bill, “acute pain” is defined as the normal, predicted, physiological, and time-limited response to an adverse chemical, thermal or mechanical stimulus associated with surgery, trauma or acute illness. Additionally, the legislation would make it mandatory for health care practitioners to check the prescription drug database before prescribing or dispensing a controlled substance.

Many health care groups, including the FDA, provided testimony before both committees outlining the concerns of implementing a three-day supply limit for patients, especially after surgical procedures. Since SB 8 was only workshopped in the Senate Health Policy Committee, it will still have to be approved by the committee before moving forward. HB 21 now heads to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

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