Spine groups send letter to Congress ahead of controlled substances hearing

Spine

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons, among several other medical organizations, sent a joint letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Dick Durbin, D-Ill., ahead of a hearing on public health threats related to illicit fentanyl.

The Feb. 4 hearing titled, The Poisoning of America: Fentanyl, its Analogues, and the Need for Permanent Class Scheduling, will examine safety threats of fentanyl and evaluate the need for  permanent class-wide scheduling of these substances under the Controlled Substances Act, according to a news release shared with Becker's.

The letter outlines clinical considerations for a permanent scheduling of  of fentanyl-related substances with a focus on physician compliance with the Controlled Substances Act and maintaining patient access to treatments.

"As physicians and DEA registrants, we are committed to the responsible stewardship of controlled substances, ensuring patients have access to evidence-based pain management," Alexander Khalessi, MD, said in the release. "While supporting efforts to combat this public health crisis, we urge Congress to address regulatory barriers that limit access to certain FDA-approved opioid therapies—often the last line of relief for patients with advanced cancer, complex surgical needs, and neurological disorders."

The other groups co-signing the letter are:

American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM)
American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R)
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)
American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR)
American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine)
North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS)
North American Spine Society (NASS)

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