California Workgroup Shares New Prescribing Guidelines In Order to Help Reduce Prescription Drug Misuse

PRESS RELEASE

The California Prescription Opioid Misuse and Overdose Prevention Workgroup is providing information to health care providers on new prescribing guidelines for controlled substances for treating pain, indicates a

press release

from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The

revised guidelines

(PDF) were released by the Medical Board of California in November of 2014. The overdose prevention workgroup was created to facilitate collaboration between state agencies in developing and expanding strategies aimed at decreasing prescription pain medication misuse, abuse, and overdose, and related deaths. State agencies included in the workgroup include CDPH, the California State Board of Pharmacy, the departments of Health Care Services, Justice, Education, and Consumer Affairs, the Medical Board of California, Dental Board of California, and Emergency Medical Services Authority.