The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) has developed an overview of the new opioid prescribing rules for workers’ compensation. The rules, adopted by the North Carolina Industrial Commission, took effect May 1.

Included in the provisions are limitations on quantity and dosing, mandatory drug testing, and risk assessments. The rules also encourage prescribers to consider alternative treatment modalities for pain management, and to consider co-prescriptions for naloxone in some circumstances. And similar to last year’s STOP Act, the rules require providers to review the NC Controlled Substance Reporting System prior to prescribing opioids.