WCRI: Docs Prescribing other Drugs after Opioid-Dispensing Ban

The amount of strong opioids prescribed to injured workers declined after Florida banned physician dispensing of the drugs in 2011, but the share of weaker narcotics dispensed by doctors increased sharply while the amount of strong opioids dispensed by pharmacies increased only slightly, according to a study released Thursday by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.The data suggests that doctors are motivated by financial incentives rather than patient care, WCRI said."This study provides evidence that is consistent with patients of physician-dispensers receiving more opioids than neces...