Title: Expressing the sense of Congress on the need to improve and expand training for future physicians on properly treating pain and prescribing opioids, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that medical students and practitioners should receive additional training in pain management and opioid-prescribing practices.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 8 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 8

  Expressing the sense of Congress on the need to improve and expand 
     training for future physicians on properly treating pain and 
              prescribing opioids, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 29, 2019

 Mr. David P. Roe of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. Ruiz, Mr. Harris, and 
  Mr. Bera) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress on the need to improve and expand 
     training for future physicians on properly treating pain and 
              prescribing opioids, and for other purposes.

Whereas the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported more than an estimated 
        64,000 drug overdose deaths in 2016;
Whereas 42,249 overdose deaths involved opioids generally, and over 20,000 of 
        those deaths were due to fentanyl and synthetic opioids;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a total of 
        214,881,622 opioid prescriptions dispensed in 2016;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 25 States 
        and the District of Columbia saw statistically significant increases in 
        overdose deaths from 2015 to 2016;
Whereas American medical schools train future doctors and other health care 
        providers how to appropriately treat acute and long-term pain, and 
        provide additional training for current practitioners through continuing 
        medical education on the same;
Whereas one of the goals of the American Medical Association's Opioid Task Force 
        is to enhance education and training;
Whereas medical schools have begun integrating content required by the Liaison 
        Committee on Medical Education to address substance abuse and pain 
        management; and
Whereas the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has approved 
        program requirements for addiction medicine, and there are 45 addiction 
        fellowships across the country with a goal of having 125 by 2025: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) medical colleges should, as part of their curriculum, 
        continue to improve and expand training for the Nation's future 
        physicians about properly treating pain and prescribing 
        opioids, so that all providers graduate with a better 
        understanding of proper prescribing of opioids;
            (2) residency programs should devote specific focus to 
        proper opioid prescribing for each specialty;
            (3) mid-level health care providers should receive 
        additional training while in school as to appropriate 
        prescribing practices for opioids; and
            (4) current practitioners should receive additional 
        training in pain management and opioid prescribing habits 
        through continuing medical education.
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