California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund is sharply decreasing the number of opioid prescriptions for injured workers even as use of the drugs soars in the U.S., the fund said Wednesday.
The fund’s opioid reduction program that helps physicians reduce opioid prescriptions and educates injured workers about the risks of using the drugs saw a 14% decrease in prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Since 2014, the number of opioid prescriptions for workers cared for under the fund plummeted 82%, the fund said in a statement.
The program focuses on early intervention and prevention of opioid dependency in new cases and addresses issues around relapse and delayed recovery. It also aims to reduce chronic opioid usage in existing cases.
The number of patients taking high doses of opioids decreased by 11% during 2020-2021 and fell by 91% from 2014 to 2021, the fund said.
