CVS Health Fights National Opioid Addiction Epidemic with Enterprise Initiatives
Pharmacy leader CVS announced on September 21, 2017 that it will limit opioid prescriptions to seven days for certain conditions. This restriction will apply to patients who are new to pain therapy as well as other initiatives to tackle the opioid addiction crisis in the United States. This is similar to the rule passed August 31st by Ohio state’s health care regulatory boards, which will implement a new 7-day limit on prescriptions issued for the treatment of acute pain.
The new pharmacy program will also limit the daily dosage of pain pills based on their strength and will require use of immediate-release formulations before extended-release opioids — intended for severe, long-term pain treatment — are dispensed. As part of the company’s broad commitment to fighting the national opioid abuse epidemic, it is enhancing its enterprise-wide initiatives supporting safe drug disposal, utilization management of pain medications and funding for treatment and recovery programs.
- CVS Pharmacy expanding drug disposal collection program to 1,550 units with addition of kiosks at 750 retail pharmacies nationwide, adding to 800 units previously donated to law enforcement
- CVS Caremark enhancing opioid utilization management aligned with CDC Guideline for PBM clients and members, complementing measures already in place
- CVS Health Foundation adding $2 million commitment to previous investments in mitigating prescription drug abuse with support for Community Health Centers providing medication-assisted treatment and other addiction recovery services
The changes will roll out February 1, 2018 and cover all commercial, health plan, employer and Medicaid clients.
CVS, which manages medications for nearly 90 million plan members, is one of the largest pharmaceutical chains in the US, with approximately 9,600 CVS Pharmacy stores and more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics.
“With a presence in nearly 10,000 communities across the country, we see firsthand the impact of the alarming and rapidly growing epidemic of opioid addiction and misuse,” said Larry J. Merlo, president and CEO of CVS Health.
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