Pallone Announces Forthcoming NIH Study on Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2018


Washington, D.C. – Today, Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released a letter from National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins announcing the agency will ask the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct a study on Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The announcement comes in response to a request from Pallone earlier this year asking NIH for a review of all available evidence on the use of MAT for treating opioid addiction.

“The National Institutes of Health and the rest of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are in full agreement about the importance of and continued need for aggressive research and dissemination efforts about Medication Assisted Treatment,” Director Collins wrote to Pallone. “This is the only way to ensure that patients and providers have the knowledge to make fully informed decisions about which treatment options are best for them and their patients.”

Dr. Collins continued, “To address a number of the questions in your letter, NIH will ask the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on MAT for Opioid Use Disorder. Our hope is that this approach will take full advantage of the National Academies’ reputation for independent, expert advice on pressing scientific and medical issues.”

In his letter, Director Collins also announced that NASEM will convene a public meeting with an array of government agencies and stakeholders as part of their comprehensive review of Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid addiction.

“I am grateful NIH and Director Collins accepted my request to conduct a comprehensive review of all available evidence on the use of Medication Assisted Treatment to address opioid use disorders,” Pallone said. “Despite MAT being an invaluable tool in our response to the opioid crisis, misunderstanding and suspicion of this life-saving treatment continues to persist. This review will play a vital role in increasing public awareness and understanding of the lifesaving role MAT plays in treating opioid use disorder. Efforts such as this are important to reversing this tragic epidemic taking the lives of more than 115 Americans each day.”

Medication Assisted Treatment combines the use of medications along with behavioral therapy to treat substance use disorder. For example, medications such as Buprenorphine, Methadone, and Naltrexone are all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved to treat people struggling with an opioid use disorder.

Read NIH’s letter HERE.

Read Pauline’s letter HERE.