- Target:
- PA State Senate Committee on Public Health & Welfare
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- pafreedomcoalition.tk
Recently a package of legislation was introduced in the state senate, called the Methadone Accountability Package. These bills and a resolution include S.B. 1293, S.B. 1294 - the Methadone Addiction Prevention and Treatment Act, S.B. 1376, S.B. 1377, S.B. 1378, S.B. 1382, S.B. 1383, and S.R. 348.
This package of legislation would would limit the length of methadone therapy for addiction treatments. This act would intrude on Pennsylvanians doctor-patient relationship, by limiting the rights of doctors and patients. It would limit health care choice and would put addicts in treatment at risk of returning to illicit drug use, by forcing patients off of methadone prematurely.
The length of methadone therapy for addiction treatments should be determined by the doctor and their patient, depending on how the patient responds to the therapy. The scientific evidence that methadone remains one of the most effective ways of treating opioid addiction and dependence is overwhelming.
Doctors should be practicing medicine, not the legislature. We ask the members of the Pennsylvania state Senate Committee on Public Health & Welfare to oppose and vote against all legislation in the Methadone Accountability Package, should it come up for a vote in committee, and should it pass committee, to vote against passing the package's legislation in the General Assembly.
Whereas: Recently introduced legislation called the Methadone Accountability Package, S.B. 1293, S.B. 1294, S.B. 1376, S.B. 1377, S.B. 1378, S.B. 1382, S.B. 1383, and S.R. 348, would allow the state government to interfere in the length of addiction treatments that use methadone.
Whereas: The Methadone Accountability Package would interfere with the rights of doctors and patients to determine how long treatment is needed and how treatment should be given.
Whereas: We the undersigned believe allowing the state legislature to dictate how long a doctor may treat their patients is not the proper role of government.
Whereas: Methadone maintenance has proven efficacy in the treatment of opioid addiction and, we the undersigned believe, should be left to the doctor and patient to decide how long the treatment should last.
Whereas: Placing artificial limits on the length of addiction treatments using methadone is unproven and not backed by medical evidence.
Whereas: The Methadone Accountability Package, by limiting the length of methadone therapy for use in addiction treatment, would cause an increase in crime and addiction. Many patients who would be prematurely forced off of methadone treatment may resort to illegally procuring opioid drugs on the black market. The relapsing addicts may also resort to crime to fund the large expense of maintaining an illicit opioid addiction.
Therefore, we the undersigned ask that you please do not support any of the legislation that is part of the Methadone Accountability Package, a truly intrusive, unscientific, health care bill.
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The Oppose the Methadone Accountability Package petition to PA State Senate Committee on Public Health & Welfare was written by PA Freedom Coalition and is in the category Health at GoPetition.