Number of Ohio workers prescribed opioids continues to drop

The number of workers receiving opioids for workplace injuries has continued to decline in Ohio, according to a study released Monday by the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.

In an evaluation of its prescriptions and pharmacy costs, the BWC found that the number of injured workers receiving a prescription for injuries in 2020 dropped to 23,469, a 16% decline compared with 2019. The number of workers receiving opioids also declined 18% to 12,507 from the prior year, the report noted. 

The total amount the bureau paid for prescriptions also declined in 2020 to $39 million, a 28% drop compared with 2019.

Opioids continue to be among the most expensive prescriptions in the state — costing the bureau $14 million in 2020 — but the BWC said that is due to a shift to painkillers with stronger abuse-deterrent properties that are not yet offered in generic form. The next most-costly drug categories for 2020 were antidepressants and anticonvulsants at $4 million each, followed by respiratory agents and dermatologicals at $2 million each, according to the study.