CHICAGO — The American Dental Association (ADA) commends Congress for passing legislation to help end this nation’s opioid epidemic. The “SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act” will help improve the quality and interoperability of prescription drug monitoring programs in individual states, intensify federal research for alternative non-addictive therapies, and fund specialty specific continuing education opportunities, among other provisions.
The legislation not only elevates the federal response to the opioid crisis, it helps expand the opportunities to learn about best pain management practices that will help prevent future opioid addiction and help those communities and individuals that need recovery assistance.
“As one of the first major health care organizations in the U.S. to develop a strong policy to address the opioid epidemic, the American Dental Association is thrilled that Congress passed this bill,” said Joseph P. Crowley, D.D.S., ADA immediate past president. "It contains many provisions that are good for both patients and providers, including additional funding for continuing education for health professionals and state prescription drug monitoring programs. The ADA strongly believes that improved prescription drug monitoring programs will help doctors prescribe more safely and effectively, as supported in the Association’s policy.”
We look forward to collaborating further with Congress, government agencies, and other stakeholders to help end the public health crisis. The ADA has been pursuing common sense policies to address dentistry’s role in preventing opioid abuse for the last decade and this bill is an important step in fighting this epidemic.
For more information, visit ADA.org/opioids.