Today, the AAM is providing written testimony to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health addressing Combating the Opioid Crisis: Prevention and Public Health Solutions, the full text of which can be accessed through the AAM website (here ).
The testimony addresses the following major points.
- It is critical that we combat the misuse of prescription medication while maintaining legitimate, uninterrupted access to medicines to patients in need
- Reduce inappropriate prescribing by mandating ongoing prescriber education and appropriate expansion of Prescription Drug Monitoring programs (as a side note, I hope those monitoring programs cut across state line)
- Expand the use of e-prescribing only for controlled substances
- Ensure the safe use of medicines consistent with FDA-approved labeling
- Maintain the availability of treatment for individuals struggling with addiction
- AAM supports consideration of a 7-day limit on prescriptions of opioids for acute pain unless there is a judgement by the prescriber that a lengthier prescription is needed
- Discusses the role of abuse-deterrent product (ADP) as well as recognizing that generics (and, to date, no generic ADPs have been approved) but also recognizes that it may be necessary to assure that affordable products are available to patients in pain.
I don’t think there is anything in their testimony that strikes a negative chord with me and their ideas are certainly going to be a complement to any national strategy adopted by the government to combat the drug abuse crisis. Noteworthy is the fact that AAM also supports adequate funding for programs to aid drug abusers.
The war on drugs has failed, let’s hope the new view of monitor, educate, attack, and treat has more MEAT in it! Get it?
