Some 12,000 Ohio doctors are being warned they appear to be violating a 2015 law that requires them to check patients' prescription histories against a state website before recommending prescription painkillers.
The state Pharmacy Board identified physicians who either aren't registered with the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System as of August or aren't using it properly. The panel turned the list over to the state Medical Board, which has initiated a crackdown as Ohio faces a drug overdose epidemic.
The medical board says 45 physicians who apparently prescribed painkillers to more than 200 patients each without running required checks will be its priority. It plans an education campaign to address minor or technical violations.
The Ohio State Medical Association believes most doctors support and are complying with the law.