Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, with colleagues at the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team, MIT, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), conducted a randomized trial of informative letters written by CMS aimed at suspected inappropriate prescribers of addictive substances like opioids and amphetamines. Top prescribers of these substances were identified and sent a letter informing them of their high prescribing rate. The investigators were unable to detect a statistically significant effect of the intervention on prescribing practices. Findings are published in the March issue of Health Affairs.

Poll Question:
Do you think authorities need to crack down harder on doctors who overprescribe drugs like opioids and amphetamines?

Yes
32

No
27

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