By:  Caitlin Oliver, Associate, Orlando

As of July 1, 2019, a new Controlled Substances law went into effect in Florida which alters requirements for prescribing opiates.  House Bill 451, Nonopioid Alternatives, was approved by Governor DeSantis and requires that before providing anesthesia or prescribing, ordering, dispensing, or administering an opioid listed as a Schedule II controlled substance to treat pain, a patient must be informed about available non-opioid alternatives.  https://flboardofmedicine.gov/latest-news/nonopioid-alternatives-pamphlet/

A pamphlet has been developed pursuant to the law that healthcare practitioners are required to dispense.  Healthcare practitioners providing emergency services and care are exempt from the requirements of the law. 

So why include this information here?  Following implementation, we have experienced pain management physicians reaching out for clarification on the requirements of the law.  The link above provides a copy of the required pamphlet and summary of the contents of the law.  Considering the interplay between our work and the healthcare professionals we encounter daily, the above link is handy to hold on to both for our edification as well as for the healthcare professionals we work so closely with.