Prescription pain pills can lead to addiction — that’s why they’re not supposed to be easy to get. The Illinois State Medical Society, or ISMS, is proposing legislation it says will fight addiction to prescription pain medication.
Dr. William McDade, the president of ISMS, says expanding the state's prescription monitoring database would help prevent "doctor shopping," where a patient gathers multiple prescriptions from different doctors.
"I think that in the long run, the state will save money by having physicians look at this to avoid those unintended sort of costs that go along with someone who has chosen to do doctor shopping," he said.
Other proposals include increasing the number of medicine disposal sites and providing education for patients who are prescribed opiates.
McDade acknowledges some might think the restrictions don't go far enough. But he says they allow flexibility for patients who really need the pain killers.
