Fewer opioid prescriptions being filled, but for longer durations

A new analysis of opioid prescribing trends finds that fewer prescriptions have been filled in the last seven years, but many of those prescriptions are for a longer period of time. Here’s what you need to know:

• The design: Researchers looked the nearly 225 million opioid prescriptions that were filled in the U.S. between 2006 and 2017.
• The findings: The number of filled prescriptions increased between 2006 and 2010, but have steadily decreased since, for a net 13 percent reduction. At the same time, the number of long-term prescriptions increased: The average duration increased from 13 days to nearly 18 days, and those for a 30-day supply or longer increased from 18 percent to nearly 25 percent of all prescriptions.
• The takeaway: Because extended opioid use is most associated with abuse and overdose, the authors write that the uptick in long-term prescriptions “is notable and worth further investigation.”