On Monday, February 8th, NYSSOS issued a memorandum in opposition to A273 (Gottfried) which Requires a practitioner to consider and prescribe non-opioid treatment alternatives for treatment of neuromusculoskeletal conditions.
NYSSOS stated the following:
The Society agrees that physicians should be looking at non-opioid alternatives to analgesia and work within the patient encounter to consider alternatives available before choosing an opioid prescription. However, legislating medical treatment or guidelines interferes with the doctor patient relationship. Advancing this type of legislation will negate the physician's expertise regarding treatment for neuromuscular problems. Mandating provisions like this will supersede the existing training and measures to reduce inappropriate prescribing of opioids. Going forward, physicians, public health officials, policymakers and health insurance companies must work together to take meaningful action and create an integrated approach to combat the opioid epidemic. Legislating a medical encounter will not achieve the shared goals of improving care to patients and supporting a sustainable, predictable and resilient public health system.
The opioid crisis is real, and steps are being taken within the profession to address it. Programs like ISTOP, although cumbersome as it was being set up, has helped prescribers to identify drug seeking patients and control prescribing. We do not agree with the principle to institute mandates of this nature which restrict a licensed physician from making decisions based upon their medical training and in their best judgement. This bill will limit the ability to appropriately treat patients in pain and can lead to additional liability. As such we are in opposition.
To see a copy of the full memo - please email bgrey@nyssos.org
