Statement attributed to:
Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force
“The American Medical Association strongly endorses the Surgeon General’s advisory on naloxone. The AMA Opioid Task Force has encouraged physicians to co-prescribe naloxone for all patients at risk of overdose. Surgeon General Adams, physicians, first responders and public health advocates all recognize that naloxone is a literal lifesaver and a vital tool in our fight against the opioid epidemic. Patients, family members and friends should not hesitate to ask their physicians to prescribe naloxone so they can save their own or their loved one’s lives. Many states have made naloxone available without a prescription. All forms of naloxone should be readily available and covered by insurance plans with minimal or no cost-sharing. The AMA looks forward to working closely with the Surgeon General’s Office to help bring an end to the epidemic of opioid overdose deaths.”
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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.
