IB 
Union Calendar No. 412 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4641 
[Report No. 114–536] 
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. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 26, 2016 
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana (for herself and Mr. KENNEDY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
MAY 3, 2016 
Additional sponsor: Mr. OLSON 
MAY 3, 2016 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 26, 2016] 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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 Man-
agement Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force con-
vened under subsection (b). 
(b) INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE.—Not later than De-
cember 14, 2018, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Sec-
retary 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 ap-
propriate, 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; 
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(D) the Department of Defense; 
(E) the Drug Enforcement Administration; 
(F) the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention; 
(G) the Health Resources and Services Ad-
ministration; 
(H) the Indian Health Service; 
(I) the National Academy of Medicine; 
(J) the National Institutes of Health; 
(K) the Office of National Drug Control 
Policy; and 
(L) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration; 
(2) State medical boards; 
(3) physicians, dentists, and nonphysician pre-
scribers; 
(4) hospitals; 
(5) pharmacists and pharmacies; 
(6) experts in the fields of pain research and ad-
diction research; 
(7) representatives of— 
(A) pain management professional organi-
zations; 
(B) the mental health treatment commu-
nity; 
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(C) the addiction treatment and recovery 
community; 
(D) pain advocacy groups; and 
(E) groups with expertise on overdose rever-
sal; 
(8) a person in recovery from addiction to medi-
cation for chronic pain; 
(9) a person with chronic pain; and 
(10) other stakeholders, as the Secretary deter-
mines 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 con-
ferences and existing relevant evidence-based 
guidelines; 
(C) 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 
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between classes of opioids, the availability of 
opioids with abuse deterrent technology, and 
pharmacological, nonpharmacological, and med-
ical device alternatives to opioids to reduce 
opioid monotherapy in appropriate cases; 
(D) the management of high-risk popu-
lations, 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) the 2016 Guideline for Prescribing 
Opioids for Chronic Pain 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 informa-
tion about the best practices developed under para-
graphs (1) and (2) to prescribers, pharmacists, State 
medical boards, educational institutions that educate 
prescribers and pharmacists, and other parties, as the 
Secretary determines appropriate. 
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(e) LIMITATION.—The task force shall not have rule-
making 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 in-
cludes— 
(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 re-
ceiving and renewing registrations under section 
303(f) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 
823(f)); and 
(3) 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 Administra-
tion and Indian Health Service. 
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Union Calendar No. 412 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4641 
[Report No. 114–536] 
A BILL 
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. 
MAY 3, 2016 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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