Legislation in Ohio requiring prescribers to check the PDMP was effective in reducing the quantity of opioids and benzodiazepines dispensed.

Objective To describe the strategies and policies implemented in Ohio to improve opioid safety and to discuss the role that pharmacists can play in implementing, promoting, and enhancing the effectiveness of these policies. Setting Ohio has the fifth highest rate of drug overdose deaths (24.6 deaths per 100,000) in the United States. Unintentional drug overdose has become the leading cause of injury-related death in Ohio. In 2015, there were 3050 overdose deaths in Ohio, and in 2014 there were an estimated 12,847 overdose events reversed by emergency medical services with naloxone. Practice description Not applicable. Practice policy innovation In 2011, the Governor's Cabinet Opiate Action Team was created to implement a multifaceted strategy, in part (1) to promote the responsible use of opioids, (2) to reduce the supply of opioids, and (3) to support overdose prevention and expand access to naloxone. Innovations to assist these goals include the development of Ohio guidelines on the responsible use of opioids, mandatory use of Ohio's prescription drug monitoring program, closing pill mills, promotion of drug take-back programs and increased access to naloxone and public health campaigns. Evaluation Not applicable. Results Since the development of the Governor's Cabinet Opiate Action Team, there were 81 million fewer doses of opioids dispensed to Ohio patients in 2015 compared with 782 million doses dispensed in 2011. As such, the proportion of unintentional drug overdose deaths involving prescription opioids has reduced from 45% in 2011 to 22% in 2015. Conclusion Strong political support was crucial in Ohio to facilitate the rapid implementation opioid overdose prevention programs and the promotion of public awareness campaigns. However, the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids are complex problems requiring a comprehensive and multifaceted approach. Pharmacists are identified as a crucial component of the state strategy to addressing opioid abuse by promoting responsible prescribing and adopting prevention practices.

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of people reported any kind of loss of workforce participation due to illnesses/ treatments. Average work loss productivity was significantly higher in females vs males (16% vs 13%, p< 0.05) and decreased with increase in age (20%, 17%, 14%, 11% and 7% in 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-64 and > 64 years old, respectively, p-value < 0.05). ConClusions: HRPQ has good construct and criterion validity.

IMPORTANCE Between 2015 and 2017, Ohio had the second highest number of opioid-related deaths. In July 2015, the Ohio General Assembly approved a law allowing pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription in accordance with a physician-approved protocol. This change in the law allowed pharmacists to have more opportunity to participate in the management of patients who were addicted to opioids. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between the implementation of an Ohio law allowing pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription in accordance with a physician-approved protocol and naloxone dispensing rates. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A segmented regression analysis of an interrupted time series was performed for 30 consecutive months to evaluate the change in the naloxone dispensing rate before and after the implementation of the state law. Ohio Medicaid naloxone claims and Kroger Pharmacy naloxone claims for all 88 counties in Ohio were examined. Any patient 18 years or older with at least 1 naloxone order dispensed through Ohio Medicaid or by a Kroger Pharmacy in Ohio