US Codex
Bill
Notes

H.R. 4641 — what changed

To provide for the establishment of an inter-agency task force to review, modify, and update best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication, and for other purposes.

From Introduced in House to Reported in House. 1 section amended between Introduced in House and Reported in House.

Section 1 Development of best practices for the use of prescription opioids

(a)
Definitions— In this section—
(1)
the term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
(2)
the term task force means the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force convened under subsection (b).
(b)
Inter-Agency Task Force— Not later than December 14, 2018, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, shall convene a Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force to review, modify, and update, as appropriate, best practices for pain management (including chronic and acute pain) and prescribing pain medication.
(c)
Membership— The task force shall be comprised of—
(1)
representatives of—
(A)
the Department of Health and Human Services;
(B)
the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(C)
the Food and Drug Administration;
(D)
the Department of Defense;
(E)
the Drug Enforcement Administration;
(F)
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(G)
added the Health Resources and Services Administration;
(H)
added the Indian Health Service;
(I)
renumbered was (4)(3)(8) the National Academy of Medicine;
(J)
added the National Institutes of Health;
(K)
added the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and
(L)
added the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration;
(2)
added State medical boards;
(H)
removed the National Institutes of Health; and
(I)
removed the Office of National Drug Control Policy;
(3)
renumbered was (4)(4) physicians, dentists, and nonphysician prescribers;
(4)
added hospitals;
(5)
added pharmacists and pharmacies;
(3)
removed pharmacists;
(6)
renumbered was (4)(6) experts in the fields of pain research and addiction research;
(7)
renumbered was (4)(7) representatives of—
(A)
renumbered was (4)(7)(2) pain management professional organizations;
(B)
renumbered was (4)(7)(3) the mental health treatment community;
(C)
added the addiction treatment and recovery community;
(C)
removed the addiction treatment community;
(D)
renumbered was (4)(7)(5) pain advocacy groups; and
(E)
added groups with expertise on overdose reversal;
(E)
removed groups with expertise around overdose reversal;
(8)
renumbered was (4)(8) a person in recovery from addiction to medication for chronic pain;
(9)
renumbered was (4)(9) a person with chronic pain; and
(10)
renumbered was (4)(10) other stakeholders, as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(d)
Duties— The task force shall—
(1)
not later than 180 days after the date on which the task force is convened under subsection (b), review, modify, and update, as appropriate, best practices for pain management (including chronic and acute pain) and prescribing pain medication, taking into consideration—
(A)
existing pain management research;
(B)
recommendations from relevant conferences and existing relevant evidence-based guidelines;
(C)
changed ongoing efforts at the State and local levels and by medical professional organizations to develop improved pain management strategies, including consideration of differences within and between classes of opioids, the availability of opioids with abuse deterrent technology as well as pharmacological technology, and pharmacological, nonpharmacological, and medical device alternatives to opioids to reduce opioid monotherapy in appropriate cases;
(D)
the management of high-risk populations, other than populations who suffer pain, who—
(i)
may use or be prescribed benzodiazepines, alcohol, and diverted opioids; or
(ii)
receive opioids in the course of medical care; and
(E)
changed the Proposed 2016 Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (80 Fed. Reg. 77351 (December 14, 2015)) and any final guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(2)
solicit and take into consideration public comment on the practices developed under paragraph (1), amending such best practices if appropriate; and
(3)
develop a strategy for disseminating information about the best practices developed under paragraphs (1) and (2) to prescribers, pharmacists, State medical boards, educational institutions that educate prescribers and pharmacists, and other parties, as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(e)
Limitation— The task force shall not have rulemaking authority.
(f)
Report— Not later than 270 days after the date on which the task force is convened under subsection (b), the task force shall submit to Congress a report that includes—
(1)
the strategy for disseminating best practices for pain management (including chronic and acute pain) and prescribing pain medication, as developed under subsection (d);
(2)
the results of a feasibility study on linking the best practices described in paragraph (1) to receiving and renewing registrations under section 303(f) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 823(f)); and
(3)
changed recommendations for effectively applying the best practices described in paragraph (1) to improve prescribing practices at medical facilities, including medical facilities of the Veterans Health Administration.Administration and Indian Health Service.