Cutrona Testifies on Legislation to Combat Opioid Crisis amid Pandemic

Today, State Rep. Al Cutrona gave testimony on the first hearing for House Bill 193. The legislation the representative has introduced requires all Schedule II prescriptions to be done electronically, except under certain circumstances. The legislation is meant to address the ongoing concerns of the state’s opioid crisis.

Cutrona mentioned during his testimony that he’s had a personal story regarding this issue.

“As the Chief Operating Officer for an infectious disease medical practice, I have been on the receiving end of a call from a pharmacy asking if one of my doctors had written a suspicious script for a Schedule II drug,” said Cutrona. “Thankfully, the fraudulent script was caught and the prescription was not given, but I hate to think what would have been done with that prescription if it weren’t for the diligence of the pharmacist at the counter.”

Under the legislation, all Schedule II drugs will have to be prescribed through electronic means, except in certain emergency circumstances. This will help reduce situations where individuals try to obtain Schedule II drugs from pharmacies with stolen or fraudulent scripts. 

Cutrona has been working with groups, such as the Ohio State Medical Association, to make sure best practices are implemented with the legislation.

Additionally during the testimony, it was acknowledged that nearly half the states around the country have enacted mandatory e-prescribing of Scheduled II drugs, which would give Ohio the ability to connect with those states and learn what has been working and what modifications might need to be made.

According to the American Medical Association, several reports have indicated a significant rise in opioid deaths of Ohioans with the likely cause being effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since introducing this bill, I have received emails from other doctors who have had the same thing happen to them. This bill will completely eliminate this problem from ever occurring again in the future,” Cutrona said. “Last year, I made it a top priority of mine to address the opioid crisis for the people of Mahoning Valley and this bill works to ensure exactly that.”

Cutrona is a joint sponsor on the legislation and it has five other cosponsors.

Today’s hearing was the first for House Bill 193 within the Ohio House Health Committee and awaits further consideration.