In this 45-minute recorded webinar, author Vennela Thumula discussed findings from two WCRI studies, Topical Analgesic Use in Workers’ Compensation and Off-Label Use of Gabapentinoids for Work-Related Injuries, and took audience questions.

Questions addressed:

• How did the prescribing of gabapentinoids and topical analgesics to injured workers vary across the study states? Where was prescribing most frequent?
• How often were high-priced private-label topicals dispensed to injured workers, and were they more likely to be dispensed from a pharmacy or a physician’s office?
• Were gabapentinoids always dispensed for off-label uses in the workers’ compensation system, and for which conditions?
• Is the dispensing of gabapentinoids and topical analgesics consistent with the recommendations by treatment guidelines?

The findings from these two studies are based on roughly 480,000 workers with prescriptions who had injuries between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019, from 28 states. Prescription utilization and medical diagnoses for these workers were tracked for a 12-month period following the injury through March 31, 2020. The 28 study states are Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Recorded webinars are $25 for non-members and FREE for WCRI members, members of the press, legislators as well as their staff, and state public officials who make policy decisions regarding workers’ compensation.

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