• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

New York Society of Addiction MedicineNew York Society of Addiction Medicine Logo

  • NYSAM on Twitter
  • NYSAM on Facebook
  • NYSAM on LinkedIn
  • Join Mailing List
  • Past Conferences
  • 2023 Annual Conference
  • About Addiction Medicine
  • Key Issues
    • Advocacy
    • Opioids
    • Marijuana
    • Access to Care
    • More Issues
  • About
    • About NYSAM
    • Leadership
    • Contact NYSAM
    • News
    • Annual Conference
  • Resources
    • For Patients
    • For Physicians
    • Webinars
    • Articles
    • Employment
  • Membership
    • NYSAM Committees
    • Become a NYSAM Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Our Members
  • Annual Conference
  • Past Conferences
  • Donate
  • Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Home » Key Issues » Advocacy

Public Policy Statement: NYSAM Board Votes to Support MSSNY’s Position Paper on Prescription Drug Abuse and NYSAM Public Policy Forum is a Success with over 100 in attendance.

March 28, 2012 by NYSAM

At NYSAM’s meeting on March 19, 2012,  the board voted to endorse MSSNY’s position paper on prescription drug abuse. The report opposes the Attorney General’s Proposal for mandatory online check of prescription histories every time a controlled prescription is written. The Attorney General’s office was represented at our Public Policy Forum on Prescription Drug Abuse.  Over 100 people were present at our forum, where both the Attorney General’s office and Assemblymen Gottfried and Assemblyman Cymbowitz spoke. Numerous NYSAM members stepped to the microphones to ask questions and expressed their opinions. Most members wanted physicians to have access to prescription histories of patients seeking controlled substances, but they were concerned about mandatory online checking with stiff penalties if an online check was not done on every occasion.  Many thought there were additional things which could be done about the problem including education of physicians and the public.

NYSAM was not opposed to the objectives of the Attorney General’s report, but were opposed to the rigid methods and penalties. Afterwards, there were meetings with NYSAM members and the Attorney General’s office to see if there was any room for compromise. We felt that the technology was not yet available to do what the Attorney General wanted done without great effort on the part of physicians. The Attorney General’s position was that we should trust them to be reasonable. The MSSNY position which we have endorsed asks for the Health Department to make prescription histories easily available and encourages voluntary checking by physicians of that history.  (Please click here to see a copy of the Report) NYSAM plans to join MSSNY and other groups in lobbying against this position and the draconian proposals of the Attorney General’s office. NYSAM members who want to join in this lobbying effort, should contact our president, Norm Wetterau via email at normwetterau@aol.com

For ASAM’S FULL POSITION ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE, GO TO THE ASAM WEBSITE AT www.asam.org.

Topics: Advocacy

Previous
Next
NYSAM

About NYSAM

The New York Society of Addiction Medicine is a physician-led professional community committed to the advancement of evidence-based addiction science and care. Together, we can overcome substance use disorders and the disease of addiction.View All Posts by NYSAM

Connect with Us

  • NYSAM on Twitter
  • NYSAM on Facebook
  • NYSAM on LinkedIn

Join our mailing list to stay updated on upcoming events and chapter news.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NYSAM is a State Chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)

  • Become a Member
  • About Addiction Medicine
  • Addiction Resources
  • Physician Resources
  • Key Issues
NYSAM logo in footer

865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590

For inquiries, contact Philip Schuh, CPA,MS, Executive Vice President MSSNY
516-488-6100, ext.397
nysocietyofaddictionmedicine@gmail.com

© 2022 New York Society of Addiction Medicine. Website by Status Forward.

Join the Conversation

Stay Informed. Share your views.

For the latest news and evidence on substance use disorders and addiction, follow NYSAM on Twitter.

Follow Us

×