A Pennsylvania program designed to combat opioid abuse that was due to expire next year has been extended a further six years.

Gov. Tom Wolf recently signed a bill introduced by state Rep. Ann Flood, R-Northampton, that extends a program that supports say helps doctors and pharmacists combat opioid abuse.

The new law extends the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions program, which was due to expire June 30, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2028.

The program allows doctors, medical subscribers and pharmacists to access a patient’s prescription medication history through an electronic system to identify and prevent opioid abuse, including practices like “doctor shopping” and “pharmacy shopping.”

“Doctor shopping” and “pharmacy shopping” occur when a patient tries to obtain or fill a prescription with multiple doctors or at multiple pharmacies.

“This is an example of Republicans and Democrats working together to enact a commonsense law aimed at reducing opioid abuse,” Flood said in a news release. “I will continue working with my colleagues to identify bipartisan policies to combat the opioid epidemic.”