Medications such as Abilify and Actiq are being used off-label to treat injured workers, prompting the workers comp sector to focus on curbing inappropriate prescribing that may be pricey and dangerous.
Research shows that about one in five of all prescriptions are written for off-label use, or uses outside those approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Experts say the practice has popped up in workers comp with drugs such as Abilify, an anti-psychotic that's FDA-approved as an add-on treatment for adults with depression, but inappropriately used as a lone treatment of injured workers' depression or anxiety.
“We're starting to see more Abilify being added to problematic claims, and Abilify really doesn't have a place in work comp,” said Brian Carpenter, Atlanta-based senior vice president of pharmacy product development and clinical management for Healthcare Solutions. “It's a very expensive medication.” more
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