Published 10/24/2018
Washington, DC—American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) President David A. Halsey, MD, released the following statement after the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6) was signed into law by the president. The bipartisan agreement will help combat the public health crisis, which resulted in more than 72,000 drug-overdose deaths in 2017.
“The AAOS is pleased to see this legislation become law at a time when the opioid crisis is at an all-time high. Its passage represents a bipartisan commitment to addressing the growing issue and is an important first step in providing useful tools for the entire healthcare community. For physicians, the law strengthens communication between doctors and their patients—ultimately enhancing patient safety. This is critical for our orthopaedic surgeons to practice safe, effective pain management and treatment while limiting the quantity of opioids in our communities. The AAOS applauds Congress for taking this step forward and encourages it to continue including physician input in these and other much-needed healthcare reforms.”
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