The American Medical Association is urging the use of evidence-based treatment for people with substance abuse disorders.
Here are three key insights:
1. The AMA calls for leveraging evidence-based treatment in any setting: clinics, drug treatment facilities, hospitals, correctional settings or physician offices.
2. The society encourages eradicating barriers to medication assisted treatment, such as prior authorization, and promotes enforcement of mental health and substance use disorder parity laws.
3. Specifically the AMA adopted the following policies:
• Advocate for legislation to ensure that patients have access to all FDA-approved medications or therapies in all care settings.
• Work with the American Hospital Association to identify best practices to treat opioid use disorder as a chronic disease.
• Advocate for the expansion and improved access to evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders during pregnancy.
• Ensure medical students, physicians-in-training and practicing physicians receive education on opioid prescribing.