Promoting and preserving public health
Addressing the opioid abuse crisis
New York’s physicians have worked tirelessly to respond to the opioid and heroin abuse epidemic that has ravaged this state and country. As a member of the American Medical Association’s Opioid Task Force, MSSNY has worked to increase physician awareness and leadership to promote and amplify best practices to respond to this crisis. To that end, MSSNY has educated over 11,000 prescribers since January 2017 regarding best practices for assuring responsible patient pain management. Moreover, in 2016, physicians and other prescribers made over 18 million checks of New York’s PMP—a 9% increase from 2015. As a result, the prescribing of opioids in New York State has decreased by 13%. Physician efforts have also led to a 90% decrease in so-called “doctor shopping” of patients inappropriately seeking opioid medications. MSSNY has also worked with the AMA to address concerns with policies imposed on hospitals that may contribute to this problem.
Equally important is assuring proper treatment for those facing addiction. There has been an increase in the use of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and naloxone by physicians and other prescribers in New York. Moreover, MSSNY supports legislative efforts to enhance insurance coverage for treatment beds; strongly encourages all physicians and hospitals to advocate to patients various substance abuse treatment options available to them in treating addiction, including buprenorphine; encourages physicians and other medical staff to become voluntarily certified to prescribe buprenorphine and encourages collaboration with multi-stakeholders for integrated MAT for the management of addictions. However, MSSNY remains concerned about legislative efforts to place arbitrary limits on prescribing of controlled substances or limitations on medical decision making by minors. MSSNY also supports changes in state and federal law that allow for the safe disposal of medication and supports the concept of pharmaceutical companies paying for these disposal costs.
Prevention of diseases continues to remain a top MSSNY priority and the best way to prevent these diseases is through immunizations. MSSNY supports legislation or regulation that would remove religious exemptions for immunizations and would also oppose any additional exemptions for immunizations. MSSNY supports efforts to require pharmacies to inform adult patients that they have the option of having the immunization recorded into the registry. MSSNY also continues to strongly support legislation to prohibit the sale of tobacco, e-cigarettes and nicotine dispensing devices and products to anyone less than 21 years of age.
Preserving the ability for women to have access to reproductive and sexual health care services is a key public health component. MSSNY supports efforts to expand access to emergency contraception, including making emergency contraception pill more readily available and will continue to support sexual health education programs amongst adolescents. MSSNY will oppose any legislation that criminalizes the exercise of clinical judgment in the delivery of medical care. — Frank Dowling, MD is MSSNY’s Commissioner of Public Health
and Education