Schatz-Hatch STOP Pain Act Signed into Law as Part of Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act

HONOLULU –  President Barack Obama has signed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) into law, which includes a provision co-authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). The Schatz-Hatch legislation, titled the Safe Treatments and Opportunities to Prevent (STOP) Pain Act, will strengthen research for treatment of chronic pain and find alternatives to opioids, which can be dangerous when abused.

“Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain and are prescribed potentially addictive opioids as treatment,” said Schatz. “This bipartisan bill will help researchers find alternative treatments for chronic pain so that we can try to stop opioid addiction before it begins.”

The STOP Pain Act will direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to intensify and coordinate research regarding the understanding of pain; the discovery and development of therapies for chronic pain; and the development of alternatives to opioids for effective pain treatments.

Opioids, which include such medications as morphine, codeine, and oxycodone, are classified as narcotics.  They have addictive potential and can be dangerous when abused. The national epidemic of opioid dependency and addiction underscores the need for alternative treatments for chronic pain.

The bill will also ensure that this research would be conducted with consideration of recommendations made by the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee in concert with the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force, and in accordance with the National Pain Strategy, the Federal Pain Research Strategy, and the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2016-2020.

The STOP Pain Act was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.).