Duty to establish program to reduce deaths and other harm from prescription opiates used for chronic noncancer pain

(1) As used in this section, "opiate" means any drug or other substance having an addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability similar to morphine or being capable of conversion into a drug having addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability. (2) In addition to the duties listed in Section 26B-1-202, the department shall develop and implement a two-year program in coordination with the Division of Professional Licensing, the Utah Labor Commission, and the Utah attorney general, to: (a) investigate the causes of and risk factors for death and nonfatal complications of prescription opiate use and misuse in Utah for chronic pain by utilizing the Utah Controlled Substance Database created in Section 58-37f-201; (b) study the risks, warning signs, and solutions to the risks associated with prescription opiate medications for chronic pain, including risks and prevention of misuse and diversion of those medications; (c) provide education to health care providers, patients, insurers, and the general public on the appropriate management of chronic pain, including the effective use of medical treatment and quality care guidelines that are scientifically based and peer reviewed; and (d) educate the public regarding: (i) the purpose of the Controlled Substance Database established in Section 58-37f-201; and (ii) the requirement that a person's name and prescription information be recorded on the database when the person fills a prescription for a schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substance.