UI - 000253

AU - Weissman DE

AU - Joranson DE

AU - Hopwood M

TI - THE INFLUENCE OF DRUG REGULATIONS ON OPIOID ANALGESIC PRESCRIBING

PRACTICE (MEETING ABSTRACT)

AB - AB - 200 Wisconsin Mds chosen at random were mailed a survey in June 1990 to assess

knowledge/attitudes concerning regulatory law. 90 surveys (45%) were evaluable for review, including

internists (27), surgeons (25), family practitioners (19), other (19). MDs had poor knowledge of drug

schedule and number of allowable refills of seven different opioids. 32% of MDs did not know that an

emergency supply of a schedule II drug could be prescribed by telephone. MDs were very concerned about

possible investigation when using opioids: 15, 17 and 19 times more concerned about prescribing morphine,

hydromorphone and methadone, respectively, than when prescribing codeine with acetaminophen. MDs

were 8 times more concerned about possible investigation when using opioids to treat chronic cancer pain

than when using opioids for acute pain and 20 times more concerned if the patient had a history of drug

abuse, even with a 'real' reason to have pain. MDs were less concerned about investigation than about

addiction, tolerance or respiratory depression. Wisconsin MDs have serious concerns about using opioid

analgesics and poor knowledge of regulatory laws. Education is needed to lessen these fears, especially as

they apply to the treatment of cancer-related pain AD - Medical Coll. of Wisconsin AD - Milwaukee AD -

WI 53211 UI - 91672474

SO - Proc Annu Meet Am Soc Clin Oncol 1991;10:A1129-A112