Chicago licenses 1,500 pharma reps to help fight opioid epidemic

Chicago licensed approximately 1,500 pharmaceutical representatives due to a citywide ordinance that aims to to slow down over-prescription practices, according to Chicago Sun Times.

Advertisement

Due to the citywide ordinance, which went into effect last year, any pharma rep operating within the city for more than 15 days in a given year must be licensed through the city of Chicago. The licenses cost around $750 each.

“This milestone demonstrates our commitment to protecting residents when it comes to addictive drugs and holding drug representatives accountable if they seek to deceive, mislead or unduly influence the medical community,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. 

The licensing protocol is a measure to protect people from “predatory marketing of prescription drugs,” according to a statement released from the mayor’s office. An additional 200 licenses are scheduled to go into effect come August due to Chicago’s ongoing federal opioid distributor lawsuit.

More articles on opioids: 

27K deaths attributed to fentanyl and new synthetic opioids in 2017
BCBS report: Opioid prescriptions, diagnoses on the decline
3 drug distributors shipped 1.6B doses of opioids to Missouri in 5 years

At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Register to Attend Webinar

When nurses help build the AI, adoption follows: Lessons from 3 health systems

Tuesday, July 28
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT

Presenters: Amy McCarthy, DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC, CENP, Hippocratic AIBeth Reimschissel, PhD, RN, CNL, Memorial HermannAllison Schlinkert, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Cincinnati Children'sScott Estep, MBOE, BSN, RN, CSSBB, OhioHealth System

Advertisement

Next Up in Public Health

Advertisement

Comments are closed.