Utah statute
Utah Code Ann. § 58-37-306 — Opiate prescription consultation - Prescription for opiate antagonist required.
Current through 2026 General Session
Part of Part 3: Specific Provisions Regarding Prescriptions and Orders, Utah Code.
Full text of Utah Code Ann. § 58-37-306
Statutory text current through the 2026 General Session. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Utah.
(1) As used in this section: (1)(a) "Initial opiate prescription" means a prescription for an opiate to a patient who: (1)(a)(i) has never previously been issued a prescription for an opiate; or (1)(a)(ii) was previously issued a prescription for an opiate, but the date on which the current prescription is being issued is more than one year after the date on which an opiate was previously prescribed or administered to the patient. (1)(b) "Opiate antagonist" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-4-501. (1)(c) "Prescriber" means an individual who is authorized to prescribe a controlled substance under this chapter. (2) Except as provided in Subsection (3), a prescriber may not issue an initial opiate prescription without discussing with the patient, or the patient's parent or guardian if the patient is under 18 years old and is not an emancipated minor: (2)(a) the risks of addiction and overdose associated with opiate drugs; (2)(b) the dangers of taking opiates with alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other central nervous system depressants; (2)(c) the reasons why the prescription is necessary; (2)(d) alternative treatments that may be available; and (2)(e) other risks associated with the use of the drugs being prescribed. (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to a prescription for: (3)(a) a patient who is currently in active treatment for cancer; (3)(b) a patient who is receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice as defined in Section 26B-2-201; or (3)(c) a medication that is being prescribed to a patient for the treatment of the patient's substance abuse or opiate dependence. (4)(a) Beginning January 1, 2024, a prescriber shall offer to prescribe or dispense an opiate antagonist to a patient if the patient receives an initial opiate prescription for: (4)(a)(i) 50 morphine milligram equivalents or more per day, calculated in accordance with guidelines developed by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; or (4)(a)(ii) any opiate if the practitioner is also prescribing a benzodiazepine to the patient. (4)(b) Subsection (4)(a) does not apply if the initial opiate prescription: (4)(b)(i) is administered directly to an ultimate user by a licensed practitioner; or (4)(b)(ii) is for a three-day supply or less. (4)(c) This Subsection (4) does not require a patient to purchase or obtain an opiate antagonist as a condition of receiving the patient's initial opiate prescription.
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