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Ohio doctors get new guidelines for prescribing certain painkillers
Criteria set by Gov. Kasich's team address prescription drug abuse
by WKSU's ANDY CHOW


Reporter
Andy Chow
 
Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor takes part in announcing opioid prescription guidelines for treating acute pain at the Ohio Statehouse.
Courtesy of ANDY CHOW

State officials are laying out guidelines for what doctors should consider before they prescribe addictive painkillers. Statehouse correspondent Andy Chow reports.

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Gov. John Kasich’s opiate action team’s new guidelines for acute pain ask doctors to go to pain-relieving therapy first, such as ice, heat and acupuncture. If a doctor does prescribe opiates, the guidelines ask that a minimum number of pills be doled out and that doctors avoid automatic refills.

Michael Kelly is the medical director for the OhioHealth hospital system, and says doctors are unwittingly contributing to the drug epidemic.

“We must do everything we can to stop contributing to the disease and instead contribute to the cure.”

These guidelines are voluntary and the state has no way of mandating the suggestions. However, the state hopes that groups such as Kelley’s OhioHealth will take it upon themselves to insert the guidelines into their own policies.

 
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