Association Executives,
The National Council will be signing on to the attached letter in support of a new bill, the John S. McCain Opioid Addiction Prevention Act, that would limit initial fills of opioid prescriptions for acute pain to seven days nationwide. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), the group spearheading the sign on letter, is also soliciting support from state provider associations.
The letter thanks Sens. Gillibrand (D-NY) and Gardner (R-CO) and Reps. Katko (R-NY) and Suozzi (D-NY) for sponsoring the legislation and urges their colleagues in Congress to sign on as cosponsors. The letter also highlights that the bill's prescribing limits are in line with CDC guidelines for opioids, that the bill takes great care to exempt those using opioids for non-acute pain – those with chronic pain or pain associated with cancer care, hospice or other end-of-life care, or palliative (disease-related) care chronic conditions, and that more than 30 states have adopted laws or other policies limiting the maximum day supply that can be authorized on an initial opioid prescription for acute pain.
If your organization would like to sign on the letter, please reach out to Evan Sarris at esarris@nacds.org directly by the sign on deadline of COB Friday, May 3rd. Also attached is an issue brief with more information about the legislation.
Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about the legislation.
Stephanie Pasternak
Policy and Advocacy Associate
National Council for Behavioral Health
Direct: (202) 684-7472
StephanieP@TheNationalCouncil.org
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Neal Comstock
National Council for Behavioral Health
Washington DC
202-748-8793
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