Sec. 20-14o. Prescriptions for opioid drugs.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Opioid drug” has the same meaning as provided in 42 CFR 8.2, as amended from time to time;

(2) “Adult” means a person who is at least eighteen years of age;

(3) “Prescribing practitioner” has the same meaning as provided in section 20-14c;

(4) “Minor” means a person who is under eighteen years of age;

(5) “Opioid agonist” means a medication that binds to the opiate receptors and provides relief to individuals in treatment for abuse of or dependence on an opioid drug;

(6) “Opiate receptor” means a specific site on a cell surface that interacts in a highly selective fashion with an opioid drug;

(7) “Palliative care” means specialized medical care to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with a life-threatening illness; and

(8) “Opioid antagonist” has the same meaning as provided in section 17a-714a.

(b) When issuing a prescription for an opioid drug to an adult patient for the first time for outpatient use, a prescribing practitioner who is authorized to prescribe an opioid drug shall not issue a prescription for more than a seven-day supply of such drug, as recommended in the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.

(c) A prescribing practitioner shall not issue a prescription for an opioid drug to a minor for more than a five-day supply of such drug.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, if, in the professional medical judgment of a prescribing practitioner, more than a seven-day supply of an opioid drug is required to treat an adult patient's acute medical condition, or more than a five-day supply of an opioid drug is required to treat a minor patient's acute medical condition, as determined by the prescribing practitioner, or is necessary for the treatment of chronic pain, pain associated with a cancer diagnosis or for palliative care, then the prescribing practitioner may issue a prescription for the quantity needed to treat the acute medical condition, chronic pain, pain associated with a cancer diagnosis or pain experienced while the patient is in palliative care. The condition triggering the prescription of an opioid drug for more than a seven-day supply for an adult patient or more than a five-day supply for a minor patient shall be documented in the patient's medical record and the practitioner shall indicate that an alternative to the opioid drug was not appropriate to address the medical condition.

(e) The provisions of subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this section shall not apply to medications designed for the treatment of abuse of or dependence on an opioid drug, including, but not limited to, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists.

(f) When issuing a prescription for an opioid drug to an adult or minor patient, the prescribing practitioner shall discuss with the patient the risks associated with the use of such opioid drug, including, but not limited to, the risks of addiction and overdose associated with opioid drugs and the dangers of taking opioid drugs with alcohol, benzodiazepines and other central nervous system depressants, and the reasons the prescription is necessary, and, if applicable, with the custodial parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the minor if such parent, guardian or other person is present at the time of issuance of the prescription.

(P.A. 16-43, S. 7; P.A. 17-131, S. 5; 17-188, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 16-43 effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 17-131 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “seven-day” with “five-day”, deleting “at any time”, and deleting provisions re discussion of risks when issuing prescription to minor for less than seven-day supply, amended Subsec. (d) by adding “acute medical condition” and adding provisions re more than five-day supply for minor patient, and added Subsec. (f) re discussion of risks, effective July 1, 2017; P.A. 17-188 amended Subsec. (d) by making a technical change.