A recent study by Economist Tatyana Avilova, coauthored with Adam Sacarny, Ian Williamson, Weston Merrick, and Mireille Jacobson, has been selected by the Editor of JAMA Health Forum as an Editor’s Choice: Clinical Trial of 2025.   

The study, focusing on Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), examines whether low-cost interventions can increase the use of clinical tools and change treatment decisions by providers.  

In a randomized trial of 7,872 clinicians in Minnesota, the authors test the impact of emails emphasizing the legal PDMP mandate vs. clinical benefits.  The authors find that while prescribing behavior remained unaffected, PDMP use increased, including account creation/reactivation and searches for patients with indicators for high-risk prescribing. The effects were persistent, with stronger responses to legal messaging.   

For policymakers and health systems seeking to promote patient safety, the key takeaway is clear: targeted, low-cost interventions can be effective at preparing providers to treat patients at risk of adverse outcomes by prompting them to reengage with the PDMP.  

To learn more about the study’s data, methodology, and implications, connect with Tatyana Avilova.