Sen. Brown Holds Roundtable with Community Leaders to Discuss Efforts to Combat Prescription Drug Abuse in Ross County

Press Release

In Ross County today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) convened a roundtable discussion with community members and local leaders on efforts to combat prescription drug abuse. Brown outlined legislation that would increase access to treatment options and highlighted an initiative spearheaded by the Chillicothe Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic.More than 100 people in Ross County lost their lives due to drug overdoses between 2008 and 2013.

"Opioid addiction has wreaked havoc on Ross County communities, and cities and towns throughout our state," Brown said. "When it's easier for Ohioans to access opioids than it is for them to get help to treat their addiction, we have a serious problem. We must all work together to find solutions and improve access to a variety of treatment options for everyone battling this addiction. That's why roundtables like today's event are so important -- and why I'll continue working with local leaders to combat this issue plaguing our state."

Earlier this week, President Obama announced national initiatives -- which are aligned with Brown's legislative priorities -- to address prescription drug abuse and heroin use, including: enhanced prescriber training for Federal health care professionals and removing barriers to medication-assisted treatment for prescription drug abuse and heroin use.

Brown is a cosponsor of legislation that would allow health care providers to treat larger numbers of patients struggling with addiction to opioids like painkillers and heroin. The Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act (TREAT Act) would update U.S. law to enable qualified physicians to treat larger numbers of patients struggling with addiction and -- for the first time -- allow certain nurse practitioners and physician assistants to provide supervised, medication-assisted treatment for patients.

Current law limits the number of patients a health care provider can treat for opioid abuse problems using medication-assisted treatment programs. Physicians must meet specific conditions and apply for a special waiver to prescribe certain opioid addiction medications, like buprenorphine. They are restricted from treating more than 30 patients during their first year and limited to treating only 100 patients per year after their first year. This has left patients to languish on waiting lists for medically-assisted treatment and has created barriers to patient access to combination behavioral and medical treatment.

Specifically, the TREAT Act would:

Increase the number of patients providers are initially allowed to treat from 30 patients to 100 patients per year during their first year of certification for treatment.

Allow certain physicians to request removal of the limit on the number of patients they can treat after one year;
Allow qualified nurse practitioners and physician assistants to treat up to 100 patients per year; and
Require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine changes in treatment availability and utilization; quality of treatment programs; integration with routine healthcare services; diversion; impact on state level policies and legislation; and use of nurse practitioner and physician assistant prescribers.

During Friday's roundtable, Brown also discussed the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act, legislation he cosponsored that would provide safer and more effective pain management services to our nation's veterans. According to a 2011 study from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), patients seeking care at VA clinics are nearly twice as likely to die from accidental poisonings -- frequently from opioid medications -- when compared with patients outside the VA health system.

The Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act focuses on strengthening the VA opioid prescribing guidelines and improving pain management services by:

Requiring stronger opioid prescribing guidelines and education for VA providers, including stricter standards against prescribing dangerous combinations of opioids with other drugs and for prescribing opioids to patients struggling with mental health issues.

Increasing coordination and communication throughout the VA between medical facilities, providers, patients, and their families surrounding pain management, alternative treatments for chronic pain, and appropriate opioid therapy; and Holding the VA system accountable for appropriate care and quality standards through consistent internal audits as well as GAO reviews and reports to Congress.

In addition to improving opioid therapy and pain management, the bill would help strengthen patient advocacy, enhance VA hiring and internal audits, and expand access to complementary and integrative health and wellness. The bill is named for U.S. Marine Veteran Jason Simcakoski, who died at a Wisconsin VA facility in August 2013 as a result of mixed drug toxicity.

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