Amendment ID: S2898-1

Amendment 1

Non-Opioid Alternatives in Pain Treatment

Mr. Timilty moves that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section X the following section:-

SECTION XX. Section 21 of chapter 94C, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the third paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

The department, in consultation with relevant stakeholders and experts in the treatment and management of acute and chronic pain, and based in part on the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, shall produce and distribute either in written or electronic form to pharmacies, not including institutional pharmacies, pamphlets for consumers relative to narcotic drugs, specifically opiates, that include educational information related to: (i) pain management and the use and availability of non-opioid alternatives for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, including, but not limited to: (A) information on available non-opioid alternatives for the treatment of pain, including non-opioid medications and non-pharmacological therapies; and (B) the advantages and disadvantages of the use of such non-opioid treatment alternatives; (ii) the consumer’s option to fill a prescription for a schedule II controlled substance in a lesser quantity than indicated on the prescription pursuant to subsection (d¾) of section 18; (iii) misuse and abuse by adults and children; (iv) the risk of dependency and addiction; (v) proper storage and disposal; (vi) addiction support and treatment resources; (vii) the telephone helpline operated by the bureau of substance addiction services established in section 18 of chapter 17; (viii) risks of unintended overdoses associated with prescription opioid use, including, but not limited to: (A) mixing any opioid with respiratory depressants, including, but not limited to, alcohol, benzodiazepines and stimulants; and (B) changes in personal tolerance levels for persons with a history of overdose; and (ix) risk reduction measures to prevent, respond to and reverse an opioid overdose. A pharmacist shall distribute the pamphlet when dispensing a narcotic or controlled substance contained in schedule II or III; provided, however, that pharmacists shall not be required to distribute the pamphlet if: (i) the patient is receiving outpatient palliative care pursuant to section 227 of chapter 111; (ii) the patient is a resident of a long-term care facility; or (iii) the narcotic or controlled substance is prescribed for use in the treatment of substance use disorder or opioid dependence. For the purposes of this section, non-opioid treatment alternatives shall include, but shall not be limited to, medications, restorative therapies, interventional procedures, behavioral health approaches and complementary and integrative treatments.