Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017
NAEMSP won a hard fought victory for our membership in 2016 (2017), by lobbying for and achieving passage of the "Protecting Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017", a bill that addressed significant hazards for EMS practice and controlled substances. The much-anticipated DEA rules package for the application of the Bill have finally been published in the federal register for public comment that ends on 12/4/20. We encourage our members and their respective agency leadership to visit the document and submit and concerns prior to the closing date.
Summary:
The "Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017," (hereafter the "Act") which became law on November 17, 2017, amended the Controlled Substances Act to allow for a new registration category for emergency medical services agencies that handle controlled substances. It also established standards for registering emergency medical services agencies, and set forth new requirements for delivery, storage, and recordkeeping related to their handling of controlled substances. In addition, the Act allows emergency medical services professionals to administer controlled substances outside the physical presence of a medical director or authorizing medical professional pursuant to a valid standing or verbal order. The Drug Enforcement Administration proposes to amend its regulations to make them consistent with the Act and to otherwise implement its requirements.
Comments:
Electronic comments must be submitted, and written comments must be postmarked, on or before December 4, 2020. Commenters should be aware that the electronic Federal Docket Management System will not accept comments after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the last day of the comment period.
All comments concerning collections of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act must be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on or before December 4, 2020.
