New York City to Restrict Narcotic Pain Medication in Public Hospital EDs

New York City has adopted a policy that will dramatically restrict how emergency departments (EDs) in its 11 public hospitals can dispense narcotic pain medication, states a January 10, 2013, New York Times article. According to the article, ED patients will no longer be able to get more than a three-day prescription of narcotic painkillers such as Vicodin and Percocet, and longer-acting painkillers such as OxyContin, as well as fentanyl patches and methadone, will no longer be dispensed at all. Additionally, lost, stolen, or destroyed prescriptions will not be refilled at these EDs.