Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1990 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 909 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1990
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Steven S. Howitt
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to patient opioid notification.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol1/17/2023Michael J. Soter8th Worcester1/30/2023 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 909 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1990
18	18	By Representative Howitt of Seekonk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1990) of
19	19	Steven S. Howitt and Michael J. Soter relative to the issuing of the initial prescription of
20	20	Schedule II controlled dangerous substances or other opioid pain relievers. Mental Health,
21	21	Substance Use and Recovery.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2101 OF 2021-2022.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
27	27	(2023-2024)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act relative to patient opioid notification.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 SECTION 1. Section 18C of Chapter 94C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
33	33	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the section in its entirety and inserting in place
34	34	3thereof the following new section:-
35	35	4 Prior to issuing the initial prescription of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance or
36	36	5any other opioid pain reliever which is a prescription drug in a course of treatment for acute or
37	37	6chronic pain and again prior to issuing the third prescription of the course of treatment, a
38	38	7practitioner shall discuss with the patient, or the patient’s parent or guardian if the patient is
39	39	8under 18 years of age and is not an emancipated minor, the risks associated with the drugs being
40	40	9prescribed, including but not limited to: (1) the risks of addiction and overdose associated with 2 of 2
41	41	10opioid drugs and the dangers of taking opioid drugs with alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other
42	42	11central nervous system depressants; (2) the reasons why the prescription is necessary; (3)
43	43	12alternative treatments that may be available; and (4) risks associated with the use of the drugs
44	44	13being prescribed, that there is a risk of developing a physical or psychological dependence on the
45	45	14controlled dangerous substance, and that the risks of taking more opioids than prescribed, or
46	46	15making sedatives, benzodiazepines or alcohol with opioids, can result in fatal respiratory
47	47	16depression. The practitioner shall include a note in the patient’s medical record that the patient or
48	48	17the patient’s parent or guardian, as applicable, has discussed with the practitioner the risks of
49	49	18developing a physical or psychological dependence on the control dangerous substance and
50	50	19alternative treatments that may be available.
51	51	20 This section shall not apply to a prescription for a patient who is currently in active
52	52	21treatment for cancer, receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, or is a
53	53	22resident of a long term care facility, or to any medications that are being prescribed for use in the
54	54	23treatment of substance abuse or opioid dependence.