Prescription drugs: opioid medications: minors.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health care practitioners by various boards and requires prescription drugs to be ordered and dispensed in accordance with the Pharmacy Law. Existing law makes repeated acts of clearly excessive prescribing or administering of drugs or treatment unprofessional conduct for certain health care practitioners. This bill would, with certain exceptions, prohibit a prescriber, as defined, from prescribing more than a 5-day supply of opioid medication to a minor unless the prescription is for specified uses. The bill would also require a prescriber to take certain steps before prescribing a minor a course of treatment with opioid medication, including discussing opioid risks and obtaining verbal consent, except in specified instances. The bill would make a violation of the bill's provisions unprofessional conduct and would subject the prescriber to discipline by the board charged with regulating his or her license.