Prime Therapeutics Applauds Cross-Functional Opioid Epidemic Report from Clinton Foundation and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Therapeutics released the following statement from its Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Gavras, M.D.:

A report titled "The Opioid Epidemic: From evidence to impact," issued today at an event by the Clinton Foundation and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, calls on public and private entities to help combat the opioid epidemic that affects our country. The report includes detailed and proven recommendations for how private and public organizations can help prevent misuse and non-medical use of opioids – and all controlled substances.

A Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime) pharmacist helped write the report and participated in working sessions at today's event.

The report chapter titled "Engaging pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies" includes extensive contributions by Patrick Gleason, PharmD, senior director of health outcomes at Prime. It provides guidance on what role pharmacy benefit managers can play in helping to solve the misuse of opioids. Many of the measures Prime has already adopted. 

Prime calls upon our fellow pharmacy benefit managers and everyone in the health community to examine what more they can do to prevent controlled substances from claiming another life unnecessarily. We applaud this cross-functional work on a topic that so clearly needs our nation's attention. In fact, a recent public opinion survey conducted by Prime reports that Americans feel doctors, patients, government and drug makers all play a part in solving the crisis.

Prime recently launched its Controlled Substance Management Program that has capabilities such as prior authorization, which requires members to meet specific criteria before a controlled substance is covered. The program also places seven-day limits on quantities of medication supplied and daily dose limits on immediate and extended release opioids in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

With these and other programs in place, Prime has seen a 71 percent decline in high-risk opioid users and a 16 percent reduction in opioid claims in its commercial members over the past five years.

About Prime Therapeutics
Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime) helps people get the medicine they need to feel better and live well. Prime manages pharmacy benefits for health plans, employers, and government programs including Medicare and Medicaid. The company processes claims and offers clinical services for people with complex medical conditions. Prime serves more than 20 million people. It is collectively owned by 18 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, subsidiaries or affiliates of those plans.

For more information, visit www.primetherapeutics.com  or follow @Prime_PBM on Twitter.

SOURCE Prime Therapeutics LLC

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http://www.primetherapeutics.com

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