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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3978 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1962
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
James Arciero and Walter F. Timilty
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to non-opioid alternatives in pain treatment.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:James Arciero2nd Middlesex1/20/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex1/20/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth2/16/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3978 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1962
By Representative Arciero of Westford and Senator Timilty, a joint petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 1962) of James Arciero, Rodney M. Elliott and others relative to non-opioid
alternatives in pain treatment. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to non-opioid alternatives in pain treatment.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, The Massachusetts
2Department of Public Health shall develop and publish on its website an educational pamphlet
3regarding the use of non-opioid alternatives for the treatment of pain. The pamphlet shall
4include, but not be limited to, (i) information on available nonopioid alternatives for the
5treatment of pain, including non-opioid medicinal drugs or drug products and non-
6pharmacological therapies, (ii) the advantages and disadvantages of the use of non-opioid
7alternatives.
8 Section 2. Except when a patient is receiving care in a hospital critical care unit or
9emergency department or a patient is receiving hospice services under Part I, Title XVI, Chapter
10111, Section 227 of Massachusetts General Law, before providing care requiring the
11administration of anesthesia involving the use of an opioid drug listed as a Schedule II controlled
12substance in s. 893.03 or 21 U.S.C. s. 812, or prescribing or ordering an opioid drug listed as a 2 of 2
13Schedule II controlled substance in s. 893.03 or 21 U.S.C. s. 812 for the treatment of pain, a
14health care practitioner who prescribes or orders an opioid drug shall (i) inform the patient or the
15patient’s representative of available nonopioid alternatives for the treatment of pain, which may
16include non-opioid medicinal drugs or drug products, interventional procedures or treatments,
17acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or
18any other appropriate therapy as determined by the health care practitioner, (ii) discuss with the
19patient or the patient’s representative the advantages and disadvantages of the use of non-opioid
20alternatives, including whether the patient is at a high risk of, or has a history of, controlled
21substance abuse or misuse and the patient’s personal preferences, (iii) provide the patient or the
22patient’s representative with a printed copy of the educational pamphlet described in section 1,
23(iv) document the non-opioid alternatives considered in the patient’s record.