Governors discuss ways to fight opioid abuse epidemic

The AP (2/22, Nuckols) reports that President Obama “declined to endorse” a proposal by the National Governors Association to limit the number of opioid pain medications physicians can prescribe. According to the AP, “Obama was cool to the idea at a meeting with the governors he hosted at the White House on Monday, noting that [pain medications] are sometimes the only realistic treatment option for people in rural communities.” American Medical Association president Steven J. Stack, MD, supported the President’s approach, saying in a statement, “The complexity of the problem makes it difficult to create a successful one-size-fits-all approach.”

The New York Times (2/21, Pear, Subscription Publication) reported that AMA chairwoman-elect Dr. Patrice A. Harris “said doctors welcomed the opportunity to work with governors on solutions to end this public health problem.” However, she added, “The AMA wants to make sure that prescribing decisions — the decision to prescribe or not to prescribe — stay in the hands of physicians.”

Article from the AMA Morning Rounds, 2/23/16.