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New Mich. law limits opioid prescriptions

Effective July 1, doctors will not be allowed to prescribe more than seven days’ worth of opioid medication for patients with acute pain

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A new Michigan law will limit opioid prescriptions for patients with acute pain.

Photo/AP

By EMS1 Staff

LANSING, Mich. — A new Michigan law will limit opioid prescriptions for patients with acute pain.

Detroit Free Press reported that doctors in Michigan will no longer be allowed to prescribe more than seven days’ worth of opioids for patients with pain caused by broken bones, bad backs and most surgeries beginning July 1.

The goal behind the law is that patients will have less opportunity to abuse the opioids and potentially overdose if they don’t have as much.

“Exposure is a factor,” Henry Ford Hospital chief of pain services Dr. Nabil Sibai said. “If you only use a couple of days of opioids, you’re less likely to become dependent or addicted ... If you’re provided more, you are likely to take more even if it’s not needed.”

Patients with chronic pain will not be affected by the new law.

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