Halpin Highlights New Law to Combat Opioid Abuse

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – With opioid abuse ravaging communities in every corner in Illinois, state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is highlighting a new law to help reduce “Doctor Shoppers,” or people who go from doctor to doctor seeking to abuse prescribed opioids.

“This is an issue that can cause irreparable damage to our families, as well as our communities,” Halpin said “While we have some safeguards in place, like the Prescription Monitoring Program, Illinois is still plagued with opioid abuse, and there is much more that the legislature can do in conjunction with local authorities to help stop this.”

Senate Bill 772 will allow licensed prescribers in Illinois to view and submit a history of a patient’s current or previous prescriptions, in order to prevent further prescription abuse. Physicians and medical professionals will be able to use this information to make clear professional decisions in writing prescriptions and prevent those who have a history of opioid abuse from obtaining new prescriptions.

“This will help medical professionals to intervene and ultimately save lives by preventing easy access to opioid prescriptions to those that abuse them,” Halpin said. “I believe that by attacking the source of the problem, we are able to continue to improve programs and create new ways to help eliminate opioid abuse.”

Senate Bill 772 was signed into law by the governor on Wednesday and takes effect on Jan. 1, 2018.