Safety Tips and Tapering Advice for Opioid Prescriptions

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, misuse of prescription opioids is a serious public health problem in the United States. Although most people take prescription medications responsibly, according to results from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 2 million Americans misused prescription pain relievers for the first time within the past year, which averages to approximately 5,480 initiates per day.

Established in 2012 to include the medical community in a pilot program to help reduce the misuse and abuse of opioids, the MATFORCE Pharmacy Team is a group of doctors, pharmacists, law enforcement, and Arizona medical board representatives focused on the opioid crisis. The Pharmacy Team has been instrumental in registering practitioners for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, educating pharmacists and doctors, creating public awareness campaigns on fentanyl and naloxone, and working with local pharmacies to encourage participation with displaying posters and disseminating information regarding opioids.

Seeing a real need in our community to educate people on proper prescription opioid use, the MATFORCE Pharmacy Team recently created a brochure with safety tips and suggestions on how to safely taper off using opioid medications, both short- and long-term.

Order Today! If your organization has a need for these resources or would like more information, please contact us at matforce@cableone.net or (928) 708-0100. Limited resources available on a first come, first served basis.

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