IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ehbiol/v42y2021ics1570677x21000241.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can electronic prescribing mandates reduce opioid-related overdoses?

Author

Listed:
  • Abouk, Rahi
  • Powell, David

Abstract

As the opioid crisis has escalated, states have enacted numerous policies targeting opioid access and monitoring possible misuse. Recently, the majority of states have passed electronic prescribing mandates for controlled substances. These mandates require that controlled substances be prescribed electronically directly to the pharmacy. The electronic system maintains a rich patient history that prescribers will observe when issuing a prescription while also reducing opportunities for fraud. The first enforced mandate was implemented in New York in March 2016; thus empirical evidence about the effects of such mandates is limited. We study how adoption of the New York e-prescribing mandate affected opioid supply and opioid-related overdoses. We estimate that the mandate reduced the rate of overdoses involving natural and semi-synthetic opioids by 22 %. We find little evidence of any corresponding changes in overdose rates involving illicit opioids.

Suggested Citation

  • Abouk, Rahi & Powell, David, 2021. "Can electronic prescribing mandates reduce opioid-related overdoses?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:42:y:2021:i:c:s1570677x21000241
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2021.101000
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X21000241
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ehb.2021.101000?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Casey B. Mulligan, 2020. "Prices and Federal Policies in Opioid Markets," Working Papers 2020-10, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    2. Angélica Meinhofer, 2018. "Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: The Role of Asymmetric Information on Drug Availability and Abuse," American Journal of Health Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(4), pages 504-526, Fall.
    3. David A. Jaeger & Theodore J. Joyce & Robert Kaestner, 2020. "A Cautionary Tale of Evaluating Identifying Assumptions: Did Reality TV Really Cause a Decline in Teenage Childbearing?," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(2), pages 317-326, April.
    4. Powell, David & Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo & Jacobson, Mireille, 2018. "Do medical marijuana laws reduce addictions and deaths related to pain killers?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 29-42.
    5. Rosalie Liccardo Pacula & David Powell, 2018. "A Supply‐Side Perspective On The Opioid Crisis," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(2), pages 438-446, March.
    6. Thomas C. Buchmueller & Colleen Carey, 2018. "The Effect of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs on Opioid Utilization in Medicare," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 77-112, February.
    7. Abadie, Alberto & Diamond, Alexis & Hainmueller, Jens, 2010. "Synthetic Control Methods for Comparative Case Studies: Estimating the Effect of California’s Tobacco Control Program," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 105(490), pages 493-505.
    8. Angélica Meinhofer, 2018. "Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: The Role of Asymmetric Information on Drug Availability and Abuse," American Journal of Health Economics, MIT Press, vol. 4(4), pages 504-526, Fall.
    9. Casey B. Mulligan, 2020. "Prices and Federal Policies in Opioid Markets," NBER Working Papers 26812, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. David Powell & Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, 2021. "The Evolving Consequences of OxyContin Reformulation on Drug Overdoses," American Journal of Health Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 7(1), pages 41-67.
    11. Bruno Ferman & Cristine Pinto, 2019. "Inference in Differences-in-Differences with Few Treated Groups and Heteroskedasticity," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(3), pages 452-467, July.
    12. Timothy G. Conley & Christopher R. Taber, 2011. "Inference with "Difference in Differences" with a Small Number of Policy Changes," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(1), pages 113-125, February.
    13. Abby Alpert & David Powell & Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, 2018. "Supply-Side Drug Policy in the Presence of Substitutes: Evidence from the Introduction of Abuse-Deterrent Opioids," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 10(4), pages 1-35, November.
    14. Kim, Bokyung, 2021. "Must-access prescription drug monitoring programs and the opioid overdose epidemic: The unintended consequences," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    15. Daniel I. Rees & Joseph J. Sabia & Laura M. Argys & Dhaval Dave & Joshua Latshaw, 2019. "With a Little Help from My Friends: The Effects of Good Samaritan and Naloxone Access Laws on Opioid-Related Deaths," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 62(1), pages 1-27.
    16. Sacks, Daniel W. & Hollingsworth, Alex & Nguyen, Thuy & Simon, Kosali, 2021. "Can policy affect initiation of addictive substance use? Evidence from opioid prescribing," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    17. Abby Alpert & William N Evans & Ethan M J Lieber & David Powell, 2023. "Origins of the Opioid Crisis and its Enduring Impacts," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 137(2), pages 1139-1179.
    18. Böckerman, Petri & Kortelainen, Mika & Laine, Liisa T. & Nurminen, Mikko & Saxell, Tanja, 2019. "Digital Waste? Unintended Consequences of Health Information Technology," Working Papers 117, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    19. Abby E. Alpert & Sarah E. Dykstra & Mireille Jacobson, 2020. "How Do Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Reduce Opioid Prescribing? The Role of Hassle Costs versus Information," NBER Working Papers 27584, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Simone Balestra & Helge Liebert & Nicole Maestas & Tisamarie B. Sherry, 2021. "Behavioral Responses to Supply-Side Drug Policy During the Opioid Epidemic," NBER Working Papers 29596, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Shishir Shakya & Collin Hodges, 2023. "Must‐access prescription drug monitoring programs and retail opioid sales," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 41(1), pages 146-165, January.
    3. David Powell & Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, 2021. "The Evolving Consequences of OxyContin Reformulation on Drug Overdoses," American Journal of Health Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 7(1), pages 41-67.
    4. Johanna Catherine Maclean & Justine Mallatt & Christopher J. Ruhm & Kosali Simon, 2022. "The Opioid Crisis, Health, Healthcare, and Crime: A Review of Quasi-Experimental Economic Studies," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 703(1), pages 15-49, September.
    5. Rosanna Smart & David Powell & Rosalie Liccardo Pacula & Evan D. Peet & Rahi Abouk & Corey S. Davis, 2023. "Investigating the Complexity of Naloxone Distribution: Which Policies Matter for Pharmacies and Potential Recipients," NBER Working Papers 31142, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Kaestner, Robert & Ziedan, Engy, 2023. "Effects of prescription opioids on employment, earnings, marriage, disability and mortality: Evidence from state opioid control policies," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    7. Janssen, Aljoscha & Zhang, Xuan, 2020. "Retail Pharmacies and Drug Diversion during the Opioid Epidemic," Working Paper Series 1373, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    8. Thuy D. Nguyen & W. David Bradford & Kosali I. Simon, 2019. "How do Opioid Prescribing Restrictions Affect Pharmaceutical Promotion? Lessons from the Mandatory Access Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs," NBER Working Papers 26356, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Janet Currie & Hannes Schwandt, 2020. "The Opioid Epidemic Was Not Primarily Caused by Economic Distress But by Other Factors that Can be More Readily Addressed," Working Papers 2020-25, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    10. Daniele, Gianmarco & Le Moglie, Marco & Masera, Federico, 2023. "Pains, guns and moves: The effect of the U.S. opioid epidemic on Mexican migration," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    11. Cotti, Chad D. & Gordanier, John M. & Ozturk, Orgul D., 2020. "The relationship of opioid prescriptions and the educational performance of children," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    12. Eichmeyer, Sarah & Zhang, Jonathan, 2023. "Primary care providers’ influence on opioid use and its adverse consequences," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    13. David Cho & Alvaro Mezza & Joshua Montes, 2022. "Choices and Implications when Measuring the Local Supply of Prescription Opioids," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2022-078, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    14. Kim, Bokyung, 2021. "Must-access prescription drug monitoring programs and the opioid overdose epidemic: The unintended consequences," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    15. David Cho & Daniel I. García & Joshua Montes & Alison E. Weingarden, 2021. "Labor Market Effects of the Oxycodone-Heroin Epidemic," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2021-025, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    16. Sumedha Gupta & Thuy D. Nguyen & Patricia R. Freeman & Kosali I. Simon, 2020. "Competitive Effects of Federal and State Opioid Restrictions: Evidence from the Controlled Substance Laws," NBER Working Papers 27520, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Shishir Shakya & Jane E. Ruseski, 2023. "The effect of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs on county‐level opioid prescribing practices and spillovers," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 41(3), pages 435-454, July.
    18. Christopher J. Ruhm, 2019. "Shackling the Identification Police?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 85(4), pages 1016-1026, April.
    19. Meinhofer, Angélica & Witman, Allison E. & Hinde, Jesse M. & Simon, Kosali, 2021. "Marijuana liberalization policies and perinatal health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    20. Alice M. Ellyson & Jevay Grooms & Alberto Ortega, 2022. "Flipping the script: The effects of opioid prescription monitoring on specialty‐specific provider behavior," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 297-341, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:42:y:2021:i:c:s1570677x21000241. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/622964 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.