Prescription opioid misuse is a significant public health problem that has gained increasing national attention in recent years. The increased attention could be due in part to the fact that the rate of prescription opioid mortality has more than quadrupled between 1999 and 2016, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Previous research indicates that patients who receive higher doses of prescription opioids have an increased risk of overdose and mortality, leading several states to establish Morphine Equivalent Daily Dose (MEDD) thresholds. MEDD is a measurement that converts opioid prescriptions to their equivalent dose in morphine and divides the total prescription by the number of days the prescription is intended to last, allowing for comparison among different opioid formulations and strengths. MEDD policies set thresholds for prescribers, which may only be exceeded in limited circumstances, such as when being prescribed to certain patient groups or as short-courses.
This map identifies and displays key features of state MEDD policies in effect as of June 1, 2017.
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