Timeline of Events
Source: Joy Johnson Wilson and Rachel B. Morgan RN, BSN
10/22/2015
White House Announcement 2015
The Obama administration issued a memorandum on Oct., 21, 2015, to federal departments and agencies directing two important steps to combat the prescription drug abuse and heroin epidemic:
- Prescriber Training: First, to help ensure that health care professionals who prescribe opioids are properly trained in opioid prescribing and to establish the federal government as a model, the presidential memorandum requires federal departments and agencies to provide training on the prescribing of these medications to federal health care professionals who prescribe controlled substances as part of their federal responsibilities.
- Improving Access to Treatment: Second, to improve access to treatment for prescription drug abuse and heroin use, the presidential memorandum directs federal departments and agencies that directly provide, contract to provide, reimburse for, or otherwise facilitate access to health benefits, to conduct a review to identify barriers to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders and develop action plans to address these barriers.
The White House will host a Champions of Change event this spring to highlight individuals in communities across the country who are leading the fight to respond to prescription drug abuse and heroin use.
Additional Federal Actions
U.S. Department of Justice
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that it will continue its National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day program events in the spring and fall of 2016. As the president highlighted in a recent weekly address, Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of unused prescription drugs, while educating the public about the dangers of misusing medications. DEA also finalized a new rule making it easier for communities to establish ongoing drug take-back programs. Read more about the DEA’s drug disposal information.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will undertake a review of how pain management is evaluated by patient satisfaction surveys used by hospitals and other health care providers, including review of how the questions these surveys use to assess pain management may relate to pain management practices and opioid prescribing. HHS also launched this site as a one-stop federal resource with tools and information for families, health care providers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders on prescription drug abuse and heroin use prevention, treatment, and response.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will invest $8.5 million on the development of tools and resources to help inform prescribers about appropriate opioid prescribing; track data on prescribing trends; research, develop, and evaluate clinical quality improvement measures and programs on opioid prescribing; and improve public understanding of the risks and benefits of opioid use. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is developing an education campaign for doctors, dentists and other health care professionals who prescribe opioid pain medications. Earlier this month, Murthy also announced that work has begun on the first-ever surgeon general's report on substance use, addiction and health scheduled for publication in 2016.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will release an information bulletin to states by the end of the year on steps states can take through their Medicaid preferred drug lists (PDLs) and other utilization management mechanisms to reduce the risk of overdose. This includes a recommendation that they consider removing methadone from their PDLs for pain management. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that the use of methadone in pain treatment is associated with a disproportionately high number of overdose deaths compared to other opioid pain relievers. This fall, CMS is testing three new Medicare prescription drug plan measures designed to identify potential opioid overutilization, with the goal of proposing publicly reportable measures for Part D drug plans next year. These measures are based on the work of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance.
The Department of Veterans Affairs
- The Department of Veterans Affairs will lead a research initiative to evaluate non-opioid alternative approaches to pain management. The Department of Defense (DoD) and VA are developing a standardized pain management curriculum for widespread use in education and training programs.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Indian Health Service
- The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS)will provide BIA police officers and investigators the overdose reversal drug naloxone and training on its use. In 2016, the BIA, through the United States Indian Police Academy, will provide training to all BIA and tribal police officer cadets in recognizing opioid use disorders and overdose symptoms.
Moving Forward
In 2010, the president released his first National Drug Control Strategy, emphasizing the need for action to address opioid use disorders and overdose, while ensuring that individuals with pain receive safe, effective treatment. The next year, the White House released its national Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan to outline its goals for addressing prescription drug abuse and overdose. This year the administration, through the CDC, launched the Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States Program.
Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States Program
The program provided $20 million to states to support strategies to improve prescribing practices and prevent opioid overdose deaths. Through a competitive application process, CDC selected 16 states to receive funds through the program: Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Over the next four years, CDC plans to give states annual awards between $750,000 and $1 million each year, subject to the availability of funds, to advance prevention, including in these areas:
- Enhancing prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs).
- Putting prevention into action in communities nationwide and encouraging education of providers and patients about the risk of prescription drug overdose.
- Working with health systems, insurers, and professional providers to help them make informed decisions about prescribing pain medication.
- Responding to new and emerging drug overdose issues through innovative projects, including developing new surveillance systems or communications campaigns.
States can also use the funding to better understand and respond to the increase in heroin overdose deaths and investigate the connection between prescription opioid abuse and heroin use.
The president's budget for 2016 includes a request from HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell for the resources needed to expand CDC’s state efforts to all 50 states and launch a national program that will focus on prevention and prescription drug overdose surveillance.
Additional Resources
- The Department of Health and Human Services:
- Opioids: The Prescription Drug & Heroin Overdose Epidemic
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vitalsigns: Todays Heroin Epidemic
- CDC Documents: State Laws on Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Partnerships with State, Territory, County, and Other Governmental Organizations
- SAMHSA Grants to States
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Pain Advocacy - The Early Days...
RESEARCH PROJECTS - Politics of Pain
Research Projects - Politics of Pain
Who was Siobhan Reynolds? FIND OUT BELOW:
CPP's are the Expendable Political Fallout of the War on Pain Management:
Pain Relief Advocate Pays High Price For Free Speech | American Civil Liberties Union
Sep 3, 2009 · "While Ms. Reynolds is relieved not to have to go to prison today, the government is still imposing an ... enforcement may be found at: http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/July2007/Reynolds070712 ...
WordPress.com › naachq › archivesArchives – National Advocacy Access Clinic
Testimony of Siobhan Reynolds, Founder of Pain Relief Network Before House Judiciary Committee on DEA Oversight 7/12/07 ... Original Link: (https://judiciary.house.gov/_files/hearings/July2007/Reynolds070712 ...
Dec 11, 2018 · Thank you. I hope that the public can start to see how misleading the information promoting prescription pain medicine as fueling the opioid epidemic is.The CDC keeps saying the guidelines have been ...
https://www.twipu.com › tag › treati...#treatintractablepain tagged Tweets and Downloader | Twipu,
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Sitcoms Online › archive › index.phpLaw Enforcement Against Prohibition - Cops Say Legalize Drugs ...Feb 23, 2009 · 32 posts · 9 authorsWhen it comes to drugs, who needs more government intervention. As it is, there's a silent genocide ... http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/July2007/Reynolds070712.pdf.
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Political Leverage & Legislative Attempts
RESEARCH PROJECTS - Pain Patients are Political Pawns
Research Projects - Politics of Pain
U.S. House Committee On The Judiciary
Committee Hearing Room
2141 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-225-3951
H.R. 5046, the “Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016”; H.R. 5052, the “Opioid Program Evaluation Act”;H.R. 2137, the “Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015”;H.R. 5048, To require a study by the Comptroller Ge...
... Scheduled H.R. 5046, the “Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016”; H.R. 5052, the “Opioid Program Evaluation Act”; H.R. 2137, the “Federal Law Enforcement .
Conyers Lauds House Passage of Bill to Help Combat Opioid Epidemic & Save Lives
... applauded House passage of H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016 which passed by a vote of 413-5. The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016 authorizes $103 million per year from .
AHEAD OF REPUBLICANS’ POLITICALLY DIVISIVE JUDICIARY HEARING TO CONNECT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC TO ANTI-IMMIGRANT POLICIES & RHETORIC, JUDICIARY DEMOCRATS CALL FOR REAL HEARINGS TO ADDRESS OPIOID CRISIS
... of Sanctuary City Policies on the Ability to Combat the Opioid Epidemic,” House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler ... to hold a real hearing to appropriately examine the ongoing opioid epidemic in America. In their letter, the Members wrote ,
LETTER: NADLER/RASKIN/JUD DEMS TO GOODLATTE RE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN AMERICA
LETTER: NADLER/RASKIN/JUD DEMS TO GOODLATTE RE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN AMERICA
Issues: Civil Justice ,
Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. for the Hearing on “Treating the Opioid Epidemic: The State of Competition in the Markets for Addiction Medicine” Before the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law
I hope that there are some broader lessons that we can draw ... witnesses should discuss the real-life consequences of the opioid addiction epidemic and the impact of rising prices for medications that ...
Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. in Support of H.R. 5046, the “Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016”
the “Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016.” H.R. 5046 is an important complement to ... of a major public health crisis caused by prescription and opioid abuse. It is a crisis that affects Americans of all ages, races, and ...
NADLER’S STATEMENT FOR THE HEARING ON THE “CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS IN THE OPIOID ABUSE CRISIS”
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I welcome today’s ... to explore ways we can best address the crisis of opioid abuse in our country. I believe it is critical that we do so, in order ...
HOUSE COMMITTEE LEADERS ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR OPIOID PACKAGE
“We support this bipartisan package as a first step in fighting the opioid epidemic. This final deal includes key priorities that our members ...
The Effect of Sanctuary City Policies on the Ability to Combat the Opioid Epidemic
... of Sanctuary City Policies on the Ability to Combat the Opioid Epidemic Subcommittees: Immigration and Border ...
Challenges and Solutions in the Opioid Abuse Crisis
Challenges and Solutions in the Opioid Abuse Crisis Witnesses: Kristen Holman ...
Treating the Opioid Epidemic: The State of Competition in the Markets for Addiction Medicine
Treating the Opioid Epidemic: The State of Competition in the Markets for Addiction ...
Ahead Of Public Meeting Wednesday, Democratic CARA Conferees Call For Addition Of Real Funding To Combat Opioid & Heroin Addiction
... to provide critical resources to respond to the nation’s opioid and heroin epidemic. In a letter to Conference Committee ... and the Senate, and similar funding levels for combatting opioid addiction were included in the president’s FY2016 budget request.
NADLER: TRUMP BUDGET DOES NOT REFLECT OUR VALUES
... officers to our streets, prevent gun violence, prevent opioid abuse, prevent those incarcerated from re-offending, and guide young ... gaps in the system.
Opioid Epidemic : To fight the opioid epidemic, we need to invest more ...
Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. for the Conference Committee on S. 524, the “Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act”
The crisis of opioid abuse and addiction clearly requires our immediate attention. In ... by opioids and heroin. Each day, 78 Americans die from an opioid overdose. Fortunately, we now have better ways of addressing issues ...
Chairman Nadler Statement for the Markup of H.R. 2374, the Stop STALLING Act
... resulted in dramatically increasing the cost of combatting opioid abuse, a serious nationwide public health crisis. In 2016, together with ... from its sale of Suboxone film, and it deprived victims of opioid addiction and medical practitioners the benefits of generic competition. ...
This Week in the House Judiciary Committee (September 19-23)
Commercial and Antitrust Law Treating the Opioid Epidemic: The State of Competition in the Markets for Addiction ...
Chairman Nadler Statement for the Markup of H.R. 5133, the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Through Promoting Competition Act of 2019
... case, a drug manufacturer with a life-saving medication for opioid addiction, changed the form of the treatment from tablets to a ...
House Judiciary Committee Approves Bipartisan Prison Reform Legislation
... evaluation of the current pilot program to treat heroin and opioid abuse through medication assisted treatment.
PAIN MANAGEMENT
PAIN MANAGEMENT
The management of chronic pain is challenging for both patients and clinicians. However, it can be done successfully. Consumers benefit most when their health providers collaborate with other professionals ( e.g., psychologists, addiction counselors, pharmacists) and when they take on a significant role in optimal management of their pain.
Consumers should discuss with their health providers treatment goals that include reducing pain, maximizing function, and improving quality of life. The best outcomes can be achieved when chronic pain management addresses co-occurring behavioral health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety) and when it incorporates suitable nonpharmacologic and complementary therapies for symptom management.
RESOURCES
The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society that works to elevate the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve patient care. Since 1905, ASA has played an important role in American medicine acting as an advocate for all patients who require anesthesia or relief from pain. ASA’s website provides information on treating chronic pain and the potential challenges of treating this condition, opioid treatment for pain management and non-opioid options for treatment.
The CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, provides resources on how to communicate with patients about the risks and benefits of opioid therapy for chronic pain, improve the safety and effectiveness of pain treatment, and reduce the risks associated with long-term opioid therapy. Download the checklist for prescribing opioids and browse additional clinical tools to help implement the recommendations.
HHS’ newly released National Pain Strategy, details steps the Federal government is taking to improve provider education on pain management practices and overcome barriers to improve the quality of pain care.
The PainEDU website provides numerous resources and information on managing chronic pain. Resources include a pocket guide to pain management, a client workbook and information on cross-cultural pain management.
The Mayo Comprehensive Pain Rehabilitation Center Program is an intensive 3-week outpatient program focused on providing multidisciplinary rehabilitative therapy to patients with chronic pain with the goal of improving quality of life and facilitating a return to regular daily activities.
Cognitive Therapy for Pain by Beverly E. Thorn is a paper that specifically targets the cognitive psychological processes (pain-related thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) shown to be important predictors of satisfactory adjustment to chronic painful conditions.
The ECHO project done through the University of New Mexico is a telehealth project that allows providers from all over the country to get assistance for difficult pain management cases through virtual consultation with a pain management team at the UNM. This great resource for those practicing in rural areas without pain specialists for referral.
TIP 54: Managing Chronic Pain in Adults With or in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders equips clinicians with practical guidance and tools for treating chronic pain in adults with substance use disorders. This TIP includes information and resources on patient assessment, talking with patients about medication supply, addiction behaviors, opiod misuse measures, and pain treatment agreements.
Group Health established a major initiative to prevent Opiod abuse and overdose and make opioid prescribing safer while improving care for patients with chronic pain.
Chronic Opioid Therapy Safety Guideline for Patients With Chronic Non-Cancer Pain
The Center for Practical Bioethics-Pain Action Initiative: A National Strategy (PAINS) shares podcasts, reports, and information from various national efforts to improve the treatment of individuals with chronic pain
Disability Issues
Frequently Asked Questions: Americans with Disabilities Act | The Doctors Company
Tips for Using the ADA - National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association
The Americans with Disabilities Act and Fair Housing Act can provide legal rights to improved community participation for people with fibromyalgia and chronic pain. How can reasonable accommodation work for you?
Civil Rights Case Gives Hope to Pain Patients — Pain News Network
How Can I Get Reasonable Accommodations For Chronic Pain? - Pain Doctor
Working with chronic pain can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be impossible. You are entitled to certain reasonable accommodations under the ADA.
Is Chronic Pain a Disability? – National Pain Report
PAIN WITHOUT TREATMENT, WRONG WITHOUT REMEDY - doctordeluca.com - Dr. DeLuca's
Addiction, Pain, and Public Health Website
Your Pain, Your Rights: Dealing With Your Physician And Your Hospital | RSDSA
NCIL TASK FORCE LETTER TO CONGRESS:
https://www.ncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/6-25-19-Chronic-Pain-Sign-On-Letter.pdf
Information & Facts About Opioids
OPIOID INFORMATION & FACTS
CDC - Center for Disease Control - Opioids
CDC OPIOID PRESCRIBING GUIDELINES HERE
FDA - Drug Safety Information
HHS - Department of Health and Human Services - Opioids
NIH - National Institute of Health - Opioid Summary by State
(Morphine Milligram Equivalent)
________________________________________________
Federal Agency Information
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.
Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the DHHS includes information about programs to combat waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicare program.
OIG's Reading Room posts advisory opinions under the Medicare/Medicaid Anti-Kickback Law and lists of persons excluded from the Medicare/Medicaid Programs.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enforces the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Office of Administrative Law Judges conducts formal hearings in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act in connection with enforcement and regulatory cases brought by the DEA under the Controlled Substances Act and its attendant regulations.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency.
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the world's largest medical library. The Library collects materials and provides information and research services in all areas of biomedicine and health care.
National Resources
- CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: At a Glance
- CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain — United States, 2016
- The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing: : Opioid Tool Kit
- VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline For Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain
- American Bar Association Prudent Prescribing: An Overview of Recent Federal and State Guidelines for Opioid Prescriptions
- CMS 2019 Medicare Advantage and Part D Limits for High-Dose Opioid Prescriptions
Role in Procurement of CDC GUIDELINES
The National Safety Council formally dedicated its resources to fighting prescription drug overdose in 2012, although an NSC study five years earlier laid the groundwork for this important initiative. The study revealed prescription drug overdose was the fastest-rising cause of unintentional death in the U.S.
Since then, NSC has positioned itself as the resource for employers, families and prescribers on the opioid crisis. NSC has taken key steps towards eradicating this epidemic.
How Did We Get Here? Timeline of Events (2012-Present)
HOW DID WE GET HERE.?
Oxycontin Investigation
May 27, 2016
August 26, 2016
August 29, 2016
Nov 17, 2016
Timeline of Events
2018
- April – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit on the Ellipse in President's Park, outside the White House
- April – Published the third edition of Prescription Nation
- April – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit in Atlanta
- March – Partnered with the White House, the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior to bring Prescribed to Death to the Ellipse in President's Park
- January – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit in Pittsburgh
2017
- November – Opened the Prescribed to Death exhibit, a memorial to the 22,000 people who die each year from prescription opioid overdose
- November – Launched Stop Everyday Killers public service campaign to educate consumers about the dangers of opioid medication misuse
- October – Attended President Trump's White House announcement declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency
- October – Co-hosted half-day event with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce focused on the role of employers in fighting the opioid overdose epidemic
- September – Coordinated a sign-on letter with 25 other leading organizations to the President's Commission on Opioid Abuse and Overdose, with nine additional recommendations that were incorporated into the final report
- August – Conducted third International Overdose Awareness Day
- August – Sponsored Fed Up Rally and partnered with Fed Up to broadcast first virtual rally on Facebook
- August – Called for FDA to remove high-dose opioid units from market
- August – Released an Illinois consumer survey showing one in three Illinoisans are impacted by the opioid and heroin crisis
- June – Met with new Office of National Drug Control Policy leadership at the White House
- May – NSC physician speakers bureau educated more than 150 Illinois prescribers on safer opioid prescribing
- March – Published findings of national employer survey
- March – Released employer Substance Use Cost Calculator, developed with partners Shatterproofand National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (NORC)
- March – NSC physician speakers bureau educated more than 500 Maine prescribers on safe opioid prescribing
2016
- December – Attended signing of the 21st Century CURES act, which NSC supported
- October – Partnered with American Academy of Family Physicians and American College of Physicians to sponsor systematic evidence review for acute pain treatment
- September – Established NSC Physician Speakers bureau
- September – Sponsored Fed Up Rally
- August – Conducted second Overdose Awareness Day in Chicago's Federal Plaza
- August – Participated in meeting with Surgeon General and ONDCP Director on efforts to fight the opioid overdose epidemic with other leading organizations
- July – Supported passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)
- June – Published Prescription Nation 2016 report
- March – Published results of the national prescriber survey
- March – Met with HHS Secretary staff about efforts to fight the opioid crisis
- February—Testified at U.S. Senate Aging Committee hearing on Opioid Use and Abuse Among Older Americans
- January – Testified in support of CDC Opioid Prescribing Guideline for Chronic Pain at meeting of the CDC Board of Scientific Advisors
2015
- December – Named to co-chair a committee on safe use and prevention for the Collaborative for Effective Prescription Opioid Policies (CEPOP), a leading national coalition
- November – Commented to Federal Register in support of CDC opioid prescribing guideline
- November – Published findings of Indiana employer survey
- September – Supported adoption of Illinois Heroin Crisis Act legislation
- September – Sponsored Fed Up Rally with speaker Dr. Don Teater
- August – Conducted first NSC International Overdose Awareness Day event in Chicago's Federal Plaza
- July – NSC CEO met with officials at HHS, FDA, ONDCP and DEA about NSC efforts to fight the epidemic
- July – Submitted comments to Federal Register to support the addition of four commonly misused opioid pain medications to Federal employee workplace drug testing panel
- July – Submitted comments to Federal Register to support the use of oral fluid drug testing in the Federal workplace drug testing program
- June – Released Prescription Drug Community Action Kit
- April/May – Testified in support of Texas legislation to increase access to naloxone
- March – Released case study describing how Madison-Dane County, WI, drastically reduced prescription opioid and heroin deaths (Video)
- March – Released results of national consumer survey regarding opioid pain medication use
- February – Released report, The Psychological and Physical Side Effects of Pain Medication by Dr. Don Teater
2014
- July – Released report, Proactive Role Employers Can Take: Opioids in the Workplace
- July – Introduced free Prescription Drug Employer Kit
- October – Released report, Evidence for the Efficacy of Pain Medications, by medical advisor Dr. Don Teater
2013
- October – Released Prescription Nation report calling for state action to address the opioid crisis
- March – Held prescription drug symposium "Preventing Prescription Drug Overdoses: A National Strategy"
2012
- December – Convened prescription drug expert panel comprised of business leaders, medical and pharmacy professionals, insurance industry and government experts
- June – Partnered with National Governor's Association to provide grants to seven states to develop statewide plan to address prescription drug misuse
- May – Launched the NSC prescription drug overdose initiative
DEA/DOJ Pressure on Prescribers - Circa 2015/2016
Health Care Physicians in the Crosshairs: Criminal Prosecution
Alan J. Sobol
Connecticut Law Tribune
October 23, 2015
Recent changes to our health care system have been at the forefront of the American news cycle for several years. But certain aspects have not received adequate attention. One example is the scrutiny federal and state authorities place on medical practitioners who over-prescribe pain medication controlled substances. As part of its efforts to combat the over prescription (diversion) of pain medication, the Department of Justice organized “Operation Footprint,” a nationwide law enforcement initiative led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the DEA, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. In a recent press release following one of the largest medical fraud sweeps in history, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stated that “Physicians who overprescribe narcotics not only waste valuable taxpayer dollars and defraud Medicare and Medicaid, they also threaten the health and safety of their patients.” And in 2014, while serving as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Attorney General Loretta Lynch highlighted the Department of Justice’s focus on these cases: “We are committed to vigorous prosecution of doctors who abdicate their Hippocratic Oath, participate in the illegal distribution of prescription drugs and contribute to the rise of drug abuse and addiction in our communities.”
Despite these pronouncements, some health care practitioners, especially those who do not regularly practice pain management, are likely unaware of the criminal liability that can stem from the prescriptions they issue. Ignorance of the law, however, is not a defense. Thus, it is crucial for attorneys who represent health care professionals to ensure that their clients properly understand their responsibilities with respect to prescribing pain killing controlled substances.
How hospitals can reduce opioid prescriptions—and cut millions in costs
As legislators grapple with the opioid epidemic, hospitals are also rethinking their prescription practices. We polled over 200 acute care pharmacy leaders to understand how they are making formulary decisions, and what's the impact on reducing opioid prescriptions and related complications.
Read the research brief to learn more about our analysis of more than 400 organizations to investigate the impact of multi-modal pain regimens, and how your organization may be able to save over $1 million by reducing opioid use during surgery.
DOJ announces new effort to crack down on doctors overprescribing opioids
A memo detailing the plan is expected to be sent to all 94 U.S. attorney offices next week
- September 16, 2016
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is planning to launch a new initiative to combat the U.S. opioid epidemic, Kevin Johnson writes for USA Today.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch (D) outlined the plan, which has yet to be released, in an interview with USA Today. A memo detailing the plan is expected to be sent to all 94 U.S. attorney offices next week.
How physicians can help curb the opioid epidemic
Plan details
DOJ's new strategy will focus on identifying links between physician overprescribing and distribution networks across the United States.
Specifically, Lynch said prosecutors will be encouraged to share information across state lines about physicians' inappropriate prescribing practices, which could help to identify traffickers and trafficking routes more quickly. Lynch said prosecutors also will be urged to coordinate their enforcement efforts with public health officials in their districts.
"I'm not calling anybody out, because I think the people who look at this problem realize quickly how devastating it has been to families, to communities, to public health dollars, to law enforcement resources,'' Lynch said. "There is no one magic bullet for this.''
Obama signs bill to combat opioid misuse
Michael Botticelli, director of National Drug Control Policy, on Thursday said the Obama administration also will call on Congress to approve funding for recent legislation that aims to curb opioid misuse. In addition, the effort will call on congressional lawmakers to approve $1.1 billion in grants to pay for treatment requested by the White House, which will host events next week to raise awareness about the issue.
"The biggest area where we have fallen short is filling the gap between people who need treatment and those able to get it,'' Botticelli said, adding, "We need more treatment capacity. ... This requires a response commensurate with the size of the epidemic."
Lynch said, "We've been looking at this for a long time with an awareness that you can't just have an enforcement strategy alone" (Johnson, USA Today, 9/16).