The misuse of prescription drugs, especially opioids, has become a national crisis. The opioid epidemic creates a public health and safety concern that requires innovative solutions. One potential solution is the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). Research on the use of PDMPs provides evidence-based outcomes that can help inform decisions around public policy and provide insight into potential strategies to address the opioid crisis. PDMPs help detect fraud and provide valuable data that can be used to better understand the scope of the epidemic and the impact of various interventions. Research can also inform strategies for use of PDMPs to decrease opioid misuse and improve public health and safety.