Opioid Prescribing in Ohio Down 325 Million Doses in 2018

The number of prescription opioids dispensed to Ohioans declined for the sixth consecutive year in 2018, according to a newly released report from the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy’s Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS).

From 2012 to 2018, the total number of opioids dispensed to Ohio patients decreased by 325 million doses or 41 percent. During the same period, the total number of opioid prescriptions issued to Ohioans decreased by 4.6 million.

The report also finds prescribers and pharmacists utilizing OARRS at record levels. In 2018, more than 142 million patient reports were requested by healthcare providers.

With such expanded use of the system, the number of Ohioans engaging in doctor shopping behavior decreased by 89 percent last year.