HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1161 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3486
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Bruce J. Ayers
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying resolution:
Resolutions urging the Congress of the United States to update the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 and remove excessive training requirements mandated for obtaining a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Bruce J. Ayers | 1st Norfolk | 1/18/2023 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1161 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3486
By Representative Ayers of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by resolutions, House, No. 3486) of Bruce J. Ayers for the adoption of resolutions by the General Court memorializing the Congress of the United States to update the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 and remove excessive training requirements mandated for obtaining a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine. Veterans and Federal Affairs. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3637 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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Resolutions urging the Congress of the United States to update the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 and remove excessive training requirements mandated for obtaining a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine.
Whereas, since the 1990’s the United States of America has experienced a growing issue of the overprescribing of opioid pain relievers; and
Whereas, this overprescribing of opioids has led to dependence and addiction to drugs such as heroin and fentanyl, which has resulted in a major public health crisis; and
Whereas, in 2017, the United States Department of Health & Human Services declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency; and
Whereas, according to 2016 and 2017 data compiled by the Department of Health & Human Services, more than 2.1 million people suffered from an opioid use disorder; and
Whereas, in 2016 and 2017, an estimated 42,249 people died from overdosing on opioids; and
Whereas, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 130 people per day in the United States die after overdosing on opioids; and
Whereas, national experts say these numbers will only continue to grow; and
Whereas, in order to combat this growing epidemic, new methods of treatment must be explored; and
Whereas, Medically-Assisted Treatment has proven successful in reducing dependence on opioids and treating addiction; and
Whereas, buprenorphine is a medication used to treat opiate addiction; and
Whereas, buprenorphine in combination with naxolone (Narcan) is Suboxone, a method of Medically-Assisted Treatment in the form of a pill taken orally every 24 hours with the potential to reduce symptoms of opiate addiction and withdrawal; and
Whereas, buprenorphine is a Schedule III drug, meaning it carries “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence”; and
Whereas, the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 stipulates that in order to prescribe buprenorphine, a physician must complete an 8-hour training and take an exam, as well as obtain a specific “X license” through the DEA; and
Whereas, doctors may prescribe all other Schedule III drugs, as well as some Schedule II drugs (with a “high potential for abuse, which may lead to psychological or physical dependence”) utilizing their DEA license and without going through any special training or obtaining any separate licenses; and
Whereas, the requirements to prescribe buprenorphine are unreasonably stringent with no precedent set in the prescribing of other Schedule III drugs; and
Whereas, these unreasonable requirements are a deterrent for physicians to prescribe this potentially life-saving drug; and
Whereas, it is incumbent upon Congress to take every measure to treat drug addiction; be it therefore
Resolved, that The General Court urges the United States Congress to update the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 to remove excessive training requirements mandated to prescribe buprenorphine; and be it further
Resolved, that copies of these resolutions be forwarded by the Clerk of the House to the Vice-President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation.