Statement attributable to:
Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
American Medical Association President
“The agenda outlined today by the Biden Administration tackles overdoses and substance use disorder head-on in ways that will reduce stigma and remove barriers to treatment. The AMA strongly supports the approaches outlined, including: increasing access to evidence-based treatment for patients with substance use disorders – with particular emphasis on removing unnecessary barriers to prescribing buprenorphine – enforcing mental health and substance use parity, advancing racial equity, and enhancing harm-reduction efforts. The AMA also strongly encourages continuing telehealth flexibilities made available during the COVID-19 pandemic for patients being treated for substance use disorder. While national and global attention for the past year has focused on COVID-19, the toll of substance use disorders and overdoses has actually increased, with 88,000 people dying of an overdose in the 12-month period ending in August 2020. We commend the administration on this plan, and we look forward to working with them as physicians continue to play a leading role in ending the drug overdose epidemic.”
To learn more about the AMA’s efforts to end the opioid epidemic, visit our site: https://end-overdose-epidemic.org/
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
