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HB 3472

OPIOID PATIENTS RIGHT TO KNOW

104th Regular Session Introduced by Joyce Mason

Requires informed discussions about opioid risks and alternatives before initial and before third prescription, with documented records in patients’ files.

Referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 3472

HB 3472 — Opioid Patients Right to Know

Overview

HB 3472, introduced February 18, 2025 by Rep. Joyce Mason, seeks to require certain informed-consent-style discussions between health care practitioners and patients (or guardians for minors) before prescribing Schedule II opioids or other opioid pain relievers for acute or chronic pain. The bill adds new protections under the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (410 ILCS 620/28).

Current status
- Status: Referred to Rules Committee
- Related bill: SB 754 (companion)

What the bill would do

  • Create a new Section 28 of the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act governing opioid prescribing.
  • Require any health care practitioner authorized to issue prescriptions for Schedule II substances to discuss, before an initial prescription, the risks and related information with the patient or, if applicable, the patient’s parent/guardian (for patients under 18 who are not emancipated).
  • Require a second discussion prior to issuing the third prescription in a course of treatment.
  • Require the prescriber to document in the patient’s medical record that the risks of dependence (physical or psychological) and available alternative treatments were discussed.
  • Provide explicit content for the discussion, including:
    • Risks of addiction and overdose; dangers of combining opioids with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other CNS depressants
    • Why the prescription is medically necessary
    • Available alternative treatments
    • Additional risks (opioids are highly addictive; risk of dependence; potential fatal respiratory depression if misused or mixed with other substances)
  • Exemptions: does not apply to patients currently in active cancer treatment, receiving hospice/palliative care, residents of long-term care facilities, or prescriptions for use in treating substance abuse or opioid dependence.

Who is affected

  • Patients (and guardians for minors) receiving initial and ongoing opioid prescriptions for acute or chronic pain.
  • Health care practitioners authorized to prescribe Schedule II opioids.
  • Medical records systems and clinicians responsible for documenting the required discussion.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Introduced: February 18, 2025 (1st Reading)
  • Referred to Rules Committee (also listed as Rules referral in status)
  • Subsequent related actions include referral to Public Health and Read First Time on 2025-03-24
  • Companion bill: SB 754

Potential impact

  • Aims to improve patient awareness of opioid risks and treatment alternatives, potentially reducing misuse, dependence, and overdose.
  • Creates an additional requirement for prescribers and documentation, which could influence prescribing workflows.
  • Exemptions focus protections on cancer, hospice, long-term care, and substance-use treatment contexts.

This summary captures the bill’s core purpose, provisions, affected parties, and procedural steps to date.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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