NY State Senate Bill 2011-S6744

Senate Bill S6744

2011-2012 Legislative Session

Establishes a prescription pain medication awareness program within the department of health

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 21, 2012	committed to rules
Mar 29, 2012	advanced to third reading
Mar 28, 2012	2nd report cal.
Mar 27, 2012	1st report cal.466
Mar 16, 2012	referred to health

Votes

- Mar 27, 2012 - Health Committee Vote
  S6744
  
  14
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  3
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Health Committee Vote: Mar 27, 2012
      
      aye (14)
      
      Adams
      
      Ball
      
      Farley
      
      Fuschillo
      
      Gianaris
      
      Golden
      
      Hannon
      
      Larkin
      
      McDonald
      
      Montgomery
      
      Peralta
      
      Seward
      
      Smith
      
      Young
      
      aye wr (3)
      
      Duane
      
      Rivera
      
      Stewart-Cousins

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2011-S6744 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Add §3309-a, Pub Health L

2011-S6744 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a prescription pain medication awareness program within the department of health to educate the public and health care practitioners about the risks associated with prescribing and taking controlled substance pain medications.

2011-S6744 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S6744

TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
prescription pain medication awareness program

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Establishes a prescription pain medication awareness program with the
Department of Health.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends Public Health Law (PHL) §3309-a to establish a
Prescription pain medication awareness program within the Department
of Health (DOH). This program shall educate the public and health care
practitioners about the risks associated with the use of controlled
substance pain medications. Within the amounts appropriated, the
commissioner shall develop and conduct a media campaign designed to
alert youth, parents and the general population about the risks
associated with prescription pain medications and the need to properly
dispose of any unused medications. This campaign shall include an
informational website.

This section also requires the establishment of a work group composed
of experts in the fields of palliative and chronic pain management,
and addiction medicine. The work group shall development
recommendations and model courses for continuing medical education,

refresher courses and other training materials for licensed health
care professionals regarding the use of prescription pain medication.
No later than January 1, 2013, the work group shall provide outreach
and assistance to health care professional organizations to encourage
and facilitate continuing medical education training programs for
their members. The work group shall also provide information to the
commissioner for use in the development and continued update of the
public awareness campaign.

The commissioner shall report to the governor, the temporary president
of the Senate and the speaker of the Assembly no later than March 1,
2013, and annually thereafter, on the work group's findings. This
report shall include information on opioid overdose deaths, emergency
room utilization of for the treatment of opioid overdose, the
utilization of pre-hospital addiction services and recommendations to
reduce opioid addiction and the consequences thereof.

Section two provides that the act shall take effect immediately.

JUSTIFICATION:
New York State, like the rest of the nation, faces a prescription drug
abuse crisis. Prescription drugs are being abused more than any other
drug. with the exception of marijuana. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention reports that every 19 minutes, one person dies from an
accidental overdose or suicide as a result of prescription drug abuse.
While prescription pain killers have highly addictive and dangerous
qualities, they also provide much needed relief to individuals
suffering from chronic illnesses. Therefore, it is important to
provide a balanced solution to this crisis.


The current lack of education, awareness and training in the area of
prescription drug use was a resonating theme at the recent roundtable
discussions held by the Senate Standing Committee on Health. There is
a common misconception amongst the general public that because
prescription pain medications are prescribed by doctors and approved
by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, they are safe. Such
misconception illustrates the need for a public awareness program and
media campaign to educate the public on the risks associated with
prescription pain medications, the need to respect prescription
medications and to watch for signs of abuse.  Further, national
surveys demonstrate that nearly 70% of prescription pain medication
abusers get there drugs from a family member or friend. Thus,
demonstrating the need to educate the public on the importance of
disposing unused medications, and the means by which this can be done.

Another issue that is frequently raised as contributing to the
prescription drug abuse crisis is the lack of education and training
in proper prescribing practices among professionals. Instances are
raised in which doctors have legitimate concerns that result in either
over-prescribing or under prescribing these medications. The work
group established herein will study, develop and recommend model
courses for continuing medical education, refresher courses and other
training programs. The work group will assist and encourage health
care professionals to use these materials and the commissioner of
Health shall make this information available to medical schools.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2011-S6744 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6744

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 16, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens. HANNON, GOLDEN, LARKIN, MARTINS, MAZIARZ, McDONALD
  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
  the Committee on Health

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  establishing  the
  prescription pain medication awareness program

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
3309-a to read as follows:
  S 3309-A. PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION AWARENESS PROGRAM. 1.  THERE IS
HEREBY  ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT A PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION
AWARENESS PROGRAM TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND  HEALTH  CARE  PRACTITIONERS
ABOUT  THE  RISKS  ASSOCIATED  WITH  PRESCRIBING  AND  TAKING CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE PAIN MEDICATIONS.
  2. WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED, THE COMMISSIONER, IN  CONSULTATION
WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
SERVICES, SHALL:
  (A) DEVELOP AND CONDUCT  A  PUBLIC  HEALTH  EDUCATION  MEDIA  CAMPAIGN
DESIGNED  TO  ALERT  YOUTH, PARENTS AND THE GENERAL POPULATION ABOUT THE
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PRESCRIPTION PAIN  MEDICATIONS  AND  THE  NEED  TO
PROPERLY  DISPOSE OF ANY UNUSED MEDICATION. IN DEVELOPING THIS CAMPAIGN,
THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSULT WITH AND USE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY  THE
WORK  GROUP  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION AND
OTHER RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE CAMPAIGN SHALL INCLUDE AN
INTERNET WEBSITE PROVIDING INFORMATION FOR PARENTS, CHILDREN AND  HEALTH
CARE  PROFESSIONALS  ON  THE  RISKS  ASSOCIATED  WITH TAKING OPIOIDS AND
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THOSE NEEDING ASSISTANCE WITH  PRESCRIPTION  PAIN
MEDICATION  ADDICTION.  SUCH  WEBSITE  SHALL  ALSO  PROVIDE  INFORMATION
REGARDING  WHERE  INDIVIDUALS  MAY  PROPERLY   DISPOSE   OF   CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCES IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND INCLUDE ACTIVE LINKS TO FURTHER INFOR-
MATION  AND  RESOURCES. THE CAMPAIGN SHALL BEGIN NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER
FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE.
  (B) ESTABLISH A WORK GROUP, NO LATER THAN  JUNE  FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND
TWELVE,  WHICH  SHALL BE COMPOSED OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELDS OF PALLIATIVE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD15031-01-2

S. 6744                             2

AND CHRONIC CARE PAIN MANAGEMENT AND ADDICTION MEDICINE. MEMBERS OF  THE
WORK  GROUP  SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES, BUT SHALL
BE ALLOWED ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES IN  THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  THEIR
DUTIES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. THE WORK GROUP SHALL:
  (I)  REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONER REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMEN-
DATIONS AND MODEL COURSES FOR CONTINUING  MEDICAL  EDUCATION,  REFRESHER
COURSES  AND  OTHER  TRAINING MATERIALS FOR LICENSED HEALTH CARE PROFES-
SIONALS ON APPROPRIATE USE OF PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION. SUCH  RECOM-
MENDATIONS,  MODEL COURSES AND OTHER TRAINING MATERIALS SHALL BE SUBMIT-
TED TO THE COMMISSIONER, WHO SHALL MAKE SUCH INFORMATION  AVAILABLE  FOR
THE  USE  IN MEDICAL EDUCATION, RESIDENCY PROGRAMS, FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS,
AND FOR USE IN CONTINUING MEDICATION EDUCATION PROGRAMS  NO  LATER  THAN
JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN;
  (II)  NO  LATER  THAN  JANUARY  FIRST,  TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN, PROVIDE
OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE TO HEALTH  CARE  PROFESSIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  TO
ENCOURAGE  AND FACILITATE CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION TRAINING PROGRAMS
FOR THEIR MEMBERS REGARDING APPROPRIATE PRESCRIBING  PRACTICES  AND  THE
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION; AND
  (III)  PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR USE IN THE DEVELOP-
MENT AND CONTINUED UPDATE OF THE PUBLIC  AWARENESS  CAMPAIGN,  INCLUDING
INFORMATION,  RESOURCES, AND ACTIVE WEB LINKS THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON
THE WEBSITE.
  3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
DENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY NO LATER  THAN  MARCH
FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  THIRTEEN,  AND  ANNUALLY  THEREAFTER, ON THE WORK
GROUP'S  FINDINGS.  THE  REPORT  SHALL  INCLUDE  INFORMATION  ON  OPIOID
OVER-DOSE DEATHS, EMERGENCY ROOM UTILIZATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF OPIOID
OVERDOSE,  THE UTILIZATION OF PRE-HOSPITAL ADDICTION SERVICES AND RECOM-
MENDATIONS TO REDUCE OPIOID ADDICTION AND THE CONSEQUENCES THEREOF.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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