San Diego, CA (January 13, 2016) — Yesterday, Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC) joined by Reps. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Blake Farenthold (R-TX), Joe Heck, M.D. (R-NV), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) and Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced legislation that ensures the continued ability of emergency medical services (EMS) practitioners to administer controlled substances to countless individuals who are sick or injured enough to need them.

NAEMSP President Jane H. Brice, MD, MPH stated, “NAEMSP strongly supports Rep. Hudson’s legislation and applauds the Congressman’s leadership on this vital legislation. The legislation ensures that life-saving EMS professionals are able to deliver emergency medication to the patients that so desperately need them.”

According to Congressman Hudson, “Without this solution, we risk sacrificing quality emergency care and endangering patients simply because law and regulation have not kept up with the evolution of modern medicine. My legislation is an important clarification of law that allows our first responders to continue administering life-saving medications to patients when they need them most.”

The unique nature of EMS is unlike other health care services governed by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). There is a demonstrated clinical need for administering controlled substance medications, such as to treat active seizures or administer pain medicine. Updating the CSA to recognize the existing delivery model of EMS is essential to protect patients. It will provide the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) a firm statutory foundation from which to oversee the use of controlled substances in field EMS and prevent drug diversion while ensuring essential medicines are provided to patients in need.

NAEMSP looks forward to working with Rep. Hudson to enact the “Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Act of 2016.”

The following organizations support passage of H.R. 4365:

American Ambulance Association (AAA)

Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS)

Association of Critical Care Transport (ACCT)

American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)

International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)

International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)

National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)

National Association of Emergency Medical Physicians® (NAEMSP®)

The National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO)

About NAEMSP

The National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) is an organization of physicians and other professionals partnering to provide leadership and foster excellence in the subspecialty of EMS medicine.