Non-addictive treatments key to solving opioid crisis

OPINION – The opioid epidemic and its devastating effects in our country are well documented. For healthcare providers and their patients who suffer from a variety of pain syndromes, the issue is complex and personal. Opioids are often effectively used to treat patients with pain syndromes, but the risk of addiction is well documented. Because of this, pain is often undertreated, which is another unfortunate consequence of the opioid epidemic.

As a healthcare professional with over 15 years of experience, I’ve witnessed this crisis unfold firsthand and I know there is a pressing need for Healthcare providers to have more options to treat patients’ pain without the risk of addiction. That is why I’m pleased to hear about recent medical breakthroughs that have put us on the cusp of turning the corner in our fight against opioid addiction.

Medical researchers have been working tirelessly to find effective non-addictive treatments for acute pain and thanks to decades of extensive studies on the issue, this year it’s anticipated that the FDA will approve the first non-opioid alternative for public use. Soon, patients dealing with severe pain will be able to alleviate their discomfort without having to worry about the threat of becoming addicted to opioids.

Non-opioids could have a life changing impact on the approximately 5 million Americans living with opioid use disorder today, but they could also be an invaluable tool in our effort to effectively treat acute pain patients. This is an incredible opportunity, but we will only realize the full benefits of non-opioids if we make them easily accessible to the public – meaning it’s time for a legislative solution.

On the federal level there’s been recent action with the introduction of the Alternatives to PAIN Act, which would expand access to non-opioid pain management options for seniors who are Medicare Part D beneficiaries.

Across the nation, some state legislatures are also taking proactive steps to ensure patients have access to and are able to afford non-opioids once they become available. In some states, that includes adding non-opioids to a respective state’s Medicaid drug list – which is the government-administered health insurance program that exists for low-income residents in each state.

In California, where we tragically rank first in the nation in terms of highest number of drug overdose deaths, it’s imperative that we do everything we can to ensure that patients know about these new alternatives and are able to access them at an affordable price, so that all Californians have access to these regardless of insurance status.

Fortunately, I know there are many elected leaders in our state legislature who understand the seriousness of this crisis. With that in mind, I urge them to consider taking the legislative action that works best for our state to ensure patients dealing with severe pain are able to access all safe and effective treatment options for them once non-opioids become available for public use.

The introduction of non-opioid treatments represents a pivotal moment in our fight against opioid addiction. By delivering greater accessibility to these alternatives, we will give California physicians more options to help safely and effectively treat Californians with pain disorders. I urge California’s lawmakers to take decisive action and lead the charge in providing access to non-opioid pain medications for all Californians.

Dr. Sion Roy is a cardiologist in the Los Angeles area and a Santa Monica College Board Trustee.