COVID-19 policy recommendations for OUD, pain, harm reduction

Read on to *2, you’ll see great news! Share this far and wide Please!
Also there are a few links about a briefing for stopping the barriers for vital pain medications.
PUBLIC HEALTH
COVID-19 policy recommendations for OUD, pain, harm reduction
Updated Nov. 2, 2020

The AMA is providing the following policy recommendations to help states and others with specific policy recommendations amid the COVID-19 global outbreak. These recommendations are to help guide policymakers reduce the stress being experienced by patients with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and pain as well as support efforts to continue harm reduction efforts in communities across the United States. Read about examples of these efforts.

Featured updates: COVID-19
Track the evolving situation with the AMA’s library of the most up-to-date resources from JAMA, CDC and WHO.
“2. Protecting patients with pain
Adopt DEA guidance (PDF) authorizing physicians to prescribe opioid medications to existing patients without an in-person evaluation; authorize the prescription to be sent to the pharmacy via telephone.
Waive limits and restrictions on prescriptions for controlled substances, waive for the period of state and national emergency the restrictions on dose and/or quantity as well as refills.
Waive requirements for electronic prescribing of controlled substances, including requirements for an in-person evaluation for patients requiring a refill; provide liability protections for physicians who prescribe controlled substances for current patients the physician believes in good faith is stable and compliant with taking his or her medications.
For patients with chronic pain, waive testing requirements and in-person counseling requirements for refills; allow for telephonic counseling to fulfill state prescribing and treatment requirements.
Enhance home-delivery medication options for patients with chronic pain.
Issue brief: Reducing barriers to vital pain medication during the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF): The AMA is strongly urging legislators, regulators, governors and policymakers to remove additional barriers to pain treatment to help ensure that patients with pain have access to the treatments prescribed by their physician while remaining safe, reducing travel and unnecessary exposure to potential infection.”
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/covid-19-policy-recommendations-oud-pain-harm-reduction

Click to access issue-brief-reducing-barriers-vital-pain-medication.pdf

4 Responses

  1. ill take,,,,,if this get our medicines back,,ill take it,,,maryw

  2. Just another stupid question…..Why didnt AMA recommend this like 6 months ago? Is it “COVID19” really gonna be the reason why this is being recommended? Or the “changing” of the guard ,which hopefully doesnt happen ?

  3. sounds great, if it is actually done (which I frankly doubt, at least in uber-zealot Oregon).

    But why are we only deserving of decent care during the covid crisis? The clear implication here is that as soon as it’s over, we’re to go back to the draconian limits, constant monitoring, & circus-worthy flaming hoops to jump thru.

    • I agree! I am so very grateful to my clinic and staff but it doesn’t make sense to go back to the same mess that helped put us here before Covid 19. I think it’s a terrible idea for anyone who just needs refills to be forced to make hard trips monthly nd sit around a group of sick patients in packed waiting rooms.

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