New law aimed at preventing prescription pain pill addiction

INDIANAPOLIS — A new law for Indiana pain clinics will go into effect at the end of the year.

The goal of the new law is to keep prescription pain pills out of the hands of addicts.

Doctor's say prescription drug addiction is an epidemic.

The new law will require more drug testing of pain therapy patients and more screening and monitoring patients to detect addiction.

"What the concern is, is it will make it harder for the appropriate patients who need pain management, who need the pain medicines, it's going to make it tougher for them to get those prescriptions," said Dan Cooke of Memorial Hospital Pain Control Center.

The law will go into effect November 1.