Bill Would Curb Elder Abuse Through Off-Label Drug Use

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal is seeking a new state bill that would limit the ability of nursing homes to use off-label drugs, an action he terms as a form of elderly abuse.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, Blumenthal announced that he and a coalition of other senators across the country – including Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Chuck Grassley (D-IA) – would be supporting the bill. The bill seeks to prevent doctors from using prescription drugs on patients for purposes they have not been approved for by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Blumenthal detailed one instance of off-label drug use he has seen in some nursing homes when confused dementia patients are given antipsychotic drugs like Risperidone, Quetiapine, and Olanzapine that have not been approved to treat dementia.

"It is a form of elder abuse. It's chemical restraint -- no less pernicious and insidious than physical restraint of patients -- and it should be stopped," Blumenthal said.

Using drugs like this off-label has led to excessive sedation that can increase the risk of stroke or death in some patients.

If the bill is passed, using antipsychotic drugs off-label would first require consent from a patient’s family, and additional education programs would be created for prescribers and nursing home/long-term care facility employees as well, the CT Mirror reported.

If you or a loved one has been victimized by elderly abuse, there may be legal action worth pursuing. Call Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation regarding a nursing home abuse lawsuit.

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