ACS Bulletin - August 2017

38 |

for effective policies and regulations with insurance companies and state and federal governments.

ACS efforts

Under the leadership of Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, the ACS is developing a collection of educational materials for patients and surgeons called Opioids and Surgery: Use, Abuse and Alternatives. 43 By creating an evidence-based resource that will inform preoperative discussions, aid in the identification of patients at high risk for potential abuse, and highlight nonopioid treatment options, the ACS Division of Education is advocating for improved pain management strategies aimed at preventing Americans from becoming victims of the opioid crisis.

Through its Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP), the ACS continually tracks opioid-related legislative proposals at both the state and federal levels. The DAHP not only advocates for policy changes that benefit surgical patients and surgeons, it also communicates the relevant details of these laws to the ACS membership through the Bulletin, ACS NewsScope, and other communication platforms. For example, a 2013 Bulletin article summarized state legislative efforts to enhance PDMPs and improve Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements. 44 In December 2016, a Bulletin article updated readers on new state laws for PDMPs, CME, and prescribing limitations for opioids. 45 Furthermore, the efforts of the DAHP to support $1 billion of state grant funding for opioid research and treatment through the 21st Century Cures Act were highlighted in a January 2017 article. 46

ACS chapters have been active in grassroots advocacy for opioid-related state laws, due in large part to the ACS grant program for state capital lobby days. 47 Through these state lobby days, the Connecticut, Indiana, Metro Chicago, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and Wisconsin Chapters advocated on behalf of their patients and surgeons for practical opioid-related legislation under consideration in their respective states. 47 Surgeon participation in state lobby days is crucial for productive change in the opioid crisis, and the surgical community is indebted to the participants for their selfless contribution of time and money.

22. Clarke H, Soneji N, Ko DT, Yun L, Wijeysundera

DN. Rates and risk factors for prolonged opioid use after major surgery: Population-based cohort study.

BMJ. 2014;348:g1251.

23. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Opioid overdose: State information: State successes. Available at: www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/policy/successes. html. Accessed May 2, 2017.

24. Dowell D, Haegerich TM, Chou R. CDC Guideline
for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: United
States, 2016. MM WR Recomm Rep. 2016; 65( 1): 1-49.

25. Jones CM, Lurie PG, Throckmorton DC. Effect of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s rescheduling of hydrocodone combination analgesic products on opioid analgesic prescribing. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176( 3):399-402.

26. Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA reduced amount of opioid controlled substances to be manufactured in 2017. Available at: www.dea.gov/ divisions/hq/2016/ hq100416.shtml. Accessed March

12, 2017.

27. Barlas S. FDA requires new labeling for some opioids: Modest changes walk narrow political line. PT.

2013;38( 11):644.

28. Califf RM, Woodcock J, Ostroff S. A proactive response to prescription opioid abuse. N Engl J Med.

2016;374( 15):1480-1485.

29. Department of Health and Human Services. The Affordable Care Act and the Prevention and Public Health Fund Report to Congress for FY2012.

Available at: www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/open/ prevention/fy-2012-aca-pphf-report-to-congress.pdf.

Accessed March 15, 2017.

30. Library of Congress. S.524. Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016. Available at: www. congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/524/ text. Accessed May 11, 2017.