Rep. Boyd clarifies goal for 3-day prescribed opioid limit

Since my first election to the Florida House in 2010, I’ve never witnessed an issue as serious and horrific as the opioid epidemic; that is why I have recently filed substantial reform (HB 21) to continue the fight against opioid abuse.

One component of this legislation is to limit opioid prescriptions to three-day supplies for treatment of acute pain. This is based on guidelines developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Longer prescriptions for acute — short-term — pain create higher risks of addiction. Limiting the exposure of these powerful and addictive opioid drugs for patients with acute pain will have a significant impact in our attempts to stifle this horrid epidemic.

After filing HB 21 on Oct. 13 and receiving feedback from Floridians around the state, I believe it is imperative that I clearly define the goal for suggesting a three-day limit: to de-escalate prescribed opioid addiction. A common misconception that I have heard about this bill is it will harm Floridians with chronic pain and prevent them from participating in everyday activities. But this policy will not apply to opioid prescriptions to treat chronic pain, which is pain of much longer duration than acute pain. Chronic pain treatment with opioids is already governed by a different standard of practice. Patients with chronic pain will see no changes in their prescriptions as a result of this bill.

Ultimately, the opioid crisis is quite complex and can be compared to an onion which has multiple layers that cannot be peeled off with one swipe. Combating this crisis is certainly an emotional and challenging task for all affected, but together we will prevail. My door is always open, and I remain committed to overcoming this epidemic through focused collaboration and transparency.

This story was originally published October 24, 2017 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Rep. Boyd clarifies goal for 3-day prescribed opioid limit."