Medical organizations issue new opiate prescription rules

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana's leading medical authorities have adopted new guidelines intended to more stringently regulate prescriptions written for opiates.

Gov. Mike Pence's office announced the new guidelines Tuesday, which were developed by the Indiana Hospital Association, the Indiana State Medical Association and endorsed by Pence's drug abuse task force.

They urge emergency room doctors to limit prescriptions to a five-day amount supply and discourage prescribing drugs to people with known addiction or abuse issues. Emergency room doctors can also drug test patients and are urged to contact primary care physicians before prescribing the opiates.

Pence first convened his drug abuse task force last year. The group is charged with finding ways to reduce opiate abuse across the state.