BOSTON, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- One-of-3 Medicare beneficiaries who receive painkiller prescriptions get them from multiple providers, raising the risk of injury, U.S. researchers say.
Study author Anupam Jena, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, said some patients he sees taking opioids -- such as morphine -- are likely getting prescriptions for the medication from more than one doctor. This goes against the standard of care, but it occurs nonetheless, he said.