Skip to main content
Michigan OPEN
Michigan OPEN
Resources  |  Publications

Association of Hydrocodone Schedule Change with Opioid Prescriptions Following Surgery

  • After hydrocodone was changed from a schedule III to schedule II controlled substance, the mean OMEs filled in the initial opioid prescription increased by approximately 35 OMEs, equivalent to 7 tablets of hydrocodone.
  • Opioid-related policies, and any subsequent edits, must be closely monitored to identify unintended effects.


Visit Website

Habbouche J, Lee J, Steiger R, et al. Association of Hydrocodone Schedule Change With Opioid Prescriptions Following Surgery [published correction appears in JAMA Surg. 2018 Dec 1;153(12):1164]. JAMA Surg. 2018;153(12):1111-1119. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2018.2651