Communities and individuals suffering from the opioid epidemic may find some relief thanks to HB 2489. Rep. Eileen Cody’s (D-Seattle) bill passed unanimously out of the House. The bill proposes to:
- Direct emergency departments to distribute opioid reversal medication to individuals at risk of overdose;
- Allow pharmacists to partially fill prescriptions upon request of the prescriber or patient;
- Require practitioners to discuss alternatives when prescribing opioid-based drugs to a patient for the first time;
- Require practitioners to register for the Prescription Monitoring Program and to take continuing education course on best practices; and
- Connect certified peer counselors with individuals who have had a non-fatal overdose.
Additional safety measures will also be put into place such as warning statements, risks, and safe disposal of unused prescriptions is mandated.