Pennsylvania Cancer Pain Initiative (PCPI)


	MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Section 7002(b) of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007, regarding use of tamper-resistant prescription pads, was signed into law on May 25, 2007. Effective October 1 all prescriptions for Medicaid beneficiaries are to be written on tamper proof prescription forms. There is concern that the new requirement may cause an interruption in care, especially if prescribers are unaware or have difficulty obtaining the proper prescription forms prior to October 1.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently sent a letter to state Medicaid officials about the new law. The letter is posted at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/SMDL/downloads/SMD081707.pdf
There is additional information from the American Pharmaceutical Association at http://www.aphanet.org.

Please take a moment to read our feature article in the Summer 2007, Issue 49 PCPI Newsletter as well as visit the PPSG website, www.painpolicy.wisc.edu, to view and download reports to learn more about pain policies

In the Progress Report Card 2007, Pennsylvania scored a C+ for its state pain policies. Of the criteria used to evaluate pain policies, there are positive provisions that may ENHANCE pain management and negative provisions that may IMPEDE pain management. In the Controlled Substance Act (Title 35. Health and Safety: Chapter 6. The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act), one positive provision (opioids are part of professional practice) and two negative provisions (physical dependence of analgesic tolerance confused with “addiction” and undue prescription requirements) were identified. No provisions were found in the Medical, Osteopathic, or Pharmacy Practice Acts, nor in the regulations of the Medical Board, Osteopathic Board, or Pharmacy Board. The Medical Board Guidelines, (Guidelines for the Use of Controlled Substances in the Treatment of Pain. Adopted: October 20, 1998), included 7 positive provisions and no negative provisions. Health Facilities regulations, (Title 28. Health and Safety; Part IV. Health Facilities; Subpart F. Ambulatory Surgical Facilities) had one positive and no negative provisions.

Stay in touch by visiting our website and/or joining the PCPI listserve, PA-Pain-Relief, please send your email address to me at pcpi@papainrelief.org.

Georgia Brown, RN, BSN
Director, PCPI