A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 44-53-361(A), RELATING TO PRESCRIPTIONS FOR OPIOID ANTIDOTES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR IT TO BE OFFERED CONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING STANDARD OF CARE AND THE FDA.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.   Section 44-53-361(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   (A) A prescriber shall:

      (1) offer a prescription or provide consistent with the existing standard of care and the FDA for naloxone hydrochloride or another drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the complete or partial reversal of opioid depression to a patient if one or more of the following conditions are present:

         (a) the prescription or offer consistent with the existing standard of care and the FDA dosage for the patient is fifty or more morphine milligram equivalents of an opioid medication per day;

         (b) an opioid medication is prescribed or offered consistent with the existing standard of care and the FDA concurrently with a prescription for benzodiazepine; or

         (c) the patient presents with an increased risk for overdose, including a patient with a history of overdose, a patient with a history of substance use disorder, or a patient at risk for returning to a high dose of opioid medication to which the patient is no longer tolerant;

      (2) consistent with the existing standard of care, provide education to patients receiving a prescription pursuant to item (1) on overdose prevention and the use of naloxone hydrochloride or another drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the complete or partial reversal of opioid depression; and

      (3) consistent with the existing standard of care, provide education on overdose prevention and the use of naloxone hydrochloride or another drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the complete or partial reversal of opioid depression to one or more persons designated by the patient or, for a patient who is a minor, to the patient's parent or guardian.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----