August Medical Board Meeting Update

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, Attorney Levi Tkach attended the monthly State Medical Board of Ohio

board meeting. During this month's meeting, the State Medical Board of Ohio (“Board”), Board Members unanimously approved the creation of a panel of experts to review Board Rules regarding Suboxone. In a proactive approach to regulation, the Board intends to identify areas of change before Ohio experiences another potential prescription drug epidemic. While the Board did not set a precise objective for the expert panel, broad goals were discussed. A main area of focus is creating a foundation for future regulatory processes, similar to the Washington State Medical Board. If the expert panel is successful in its recommendations for proper Suboxone use, regulation of the medication Buprenorphine will follow. Although the expert panel meetings will not be public hearings, periodic updates and reports during other regular Board Meetings will occur.

The Board also took another set towards formal adoption of new rules regarding the discharge of patients. The Board received a large number of public comments from both physicians and patient rights advocates regarding the proposed rule amendments. While the initial goal of protecting patients remains a primary objective, practitioner’s complaisance requirements (specifically the prohibition against patient abandonment, see O.A.C. 4731-27-01) has garnered serious Board attention. The proposed rule amendments were approved for transmission to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rule Review for review and comment. Additional information in available on the Board’s website at http://www.med.ohio.gov/professional-rules_homepage.htm.