Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use & Recovery
The Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association (MHA), on behalf of its member hospitals and health systems, physician organizations and allied health care providers, appreciates this opportunity to offer its comments in regards to drug stewardship and safety bills, and the utilization of psychotropic medications.
MHA supports HB1702 / SB1142. Under current law, before a patient can be discharged into a nursing home, they have to obtain informed consent for the administration of psychotropic medications. There is no allowance made for situations where it would be impossible to obtain consent. HB1702 / SB1142 would still require informed consent for the administration of psychotropic medications unless the patient: is coming from a hospital where they already received treatment with these medications under a valid informed consent; is in a hospice for immense pain; or is in an emergency situation. If the facility is unable to obtain the informed consent for the administration of these medications within three days, then the facility has to, in a clinically appropriate manner, reduce the dosage of the medication for the patient and terminate its use.
MHA further supports SB1149, which seeks to eliminate the sunset of the state’s prescription drug manufacturer stewardship program and make the program permanent. This is an important step to ensuring that pharmaceutical companies are providing resources for patients and families to properly dispose of unused opioid and other unwanted drugs.
Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony on this matter. If you have any questions regarding this testimony, or require further information, please contact Michael Sroczynski, MHA's Senior Vice President of Government Advocacy at (781) 262-6055 or msroczynski@mhalink.org