Among the most efficacious current health policies that center upon population health is the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. This policy is intended to reduce the number of deaths associated with opioid use. Several components of this legislation make it effective. First, this legislation limits the first opioid prescription for acute pain to no more than three days. Dependence on opiate use in the long-term results in acute use, which imposes a great risk to users. Second, the policy allows the use of buprenorphine by practitioners. This has to be done by a qualified physician. A prescribing practitioner can treat up to 275 patients under this policy (HHS.gov, 2018).
Similarly, and the policy has authorized expansion of treatment through medication. The policy also requires the use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs to check on medication use. Fourth, the policy requires training on the use of fentanyl, an analgesic that is also contributing to opioid-related deaths in the country. Finally, the policy requires the collaboration of treatment systems, mental health providers, treatment programs, as well as other recovery supports involved in training and administering naloxone, an effective drug that reverses opioid overdose (Collins, 2017).
This policy was implemented in 2016 by President Obama after shocking reports that hundreds of thousands of people died from opioid overdose. Opioid use is considered to be a national epidemic because many people die from addiction. The most effective part of this policy is the use of prescription drug monitoring programs to assess the use of medication. Similarly, the policy is efficacious because of the fact that it provides for the treatment of opioid overdose. The implication of this is that it is possible to evaluate the success of the policy and influence public health positively.
Collins, F. (2017, 10 05). The Federal Response to the Opioid Crisis. Retrieved from National Institute on Drug Abuse: https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2017/federal-response-to-opioid-crisis
HHS.gov. (2018). Testimony from Brett P. Giroir & Kimberly Brandt on Tracking Opioid and Substance Use Disorders in Medicare Medicaid, and Human Services Programs before Committee on Finance. Retrieved from HHS.gov: https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/asl/testimony/2018-04/tracking-opioid-and-substance-use-disorders-medicare-medicaid-hhs-programs.html
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