According to a study by Zhang et al. (2023) published in JAMA Network Open, data from the IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database from 2016-2022 shows a decrease in opioid prescriptions. The study claims to capture 92% of retail pharmacy prescriptions.
The study found a decrease in both the number of opioid prescriptions and the amount of opioids per prescription. From January 2016 to December 2022, the monthly surgical opioid dispensing rate decreased from 661.2 to 426.0 prescriptions per 100,000 people (35.6%). Monthly mean total MMEs (morphine milligram equivalents) per prescription decreased from 414.0 to 222.0 prescriptions (approximately 44 pills containing 5 mg hydrocodone) during the same period (46.4%).
You can read the full paper here.
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