Illinois Statutes Chapter 720. Criminal Offenses § 570/315.7. Chronic pain treatment

(a) In this Section:

“Chronic pain” means a state in which pain persists beyond the usual course of an acute disease or healing of an injury, or which may or may not be associated with an acute or chronic pathologic process that causes continuous or intermittent pain over months or years. “Chronic pain” is considered to be pain that persists for more than 12 weeks and is adversely affecting the function or well-being of the individual.

“Opioid” means a narcotic drug or substance that is a Schedule II controlled substance under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (5) of subsection (b) or under subsection (c) of Section 206.

(b) Decisions regarding the treatment of patients experiencing chronic pain shall be made by the prescriber with dispensing by the pharmacist in accordance with the corresponding responsibility as described in 21 CFR 1306.04(a) and 77 Ill. Adm. Code 3100.380(a).

(c) Ordering, prescribing, dispensing, administering, or paying for controlled substances, including opioids, shall not in any way be predetermined by specific morphine milligram equivalent guidelines except as provided under federal law.

(d) Nothing in this Section shall interfere with the review of prescriptions by the Prescription Monitoring Program's Peer Review Committee. In reviewing prescriptions for chronic pain, the peer review committee members shall review the most updated clinical guidelines on treating chronic pain for the period the prescriptions were written.