A recent study in The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons called opioid addiction an epidemic, and outlined the unintended consequences of over prescription of opioids for pain management. AAOS is not the only organization that feels opioids are increasingly becoming an issue. A recent MassLive.com article outlines four bills pending before Congress which aim to address this crisis.
Here are four key points:
1. The Protect Our Infants Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services on best practices for diagnosing and treating Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, caused by fetal exposure to opiates.
2. The Opioid Overdose Reduction Act would protect physicians, first responders from civil liability pertaining to providing Narcan, reports MassLive.com
3. National All-Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting reauthorization, would reinstate the program which provides state grants to those which "maintain, improve and expand their prescription drug monitoring programs," according to the report.
4. The FDA Accountability for Public Safety Act would require the FDA advisory committee to provide a recommendation on whether to approve an opioid.
