HR1106LRB098 20725 GRL 57659 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Chronic pain can be a debilitating, complex human
3condition stemming from any number of medical conditions or
4injuries which threatens the quality of life for millions of
5Americans; and
 
6    WHEREAS, A significant portion of those suffering with
7chronic pain must rely on the use of stronger prescription
8medications; and
 
9    WHEREAS, An estimated $323 billion per year is spent on
10prescription drugs used to treat chronic pain; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Prescription drugs used to treat pain, which are
12predominately derived from opiates, are extremely addictive
13and have created a national addiction epidemic; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The number of unintentional medication overdose
15deaths from opioid analgesics was higher than that of cocaine
16and heroin combined; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Pill mills, physician shopping, medication
18diversion, and other abuses have unfortunately helped create an
19illegal black market for prescription drugs; and
 

 

 

HR1106- 2 -LRB098 20725 GRL 57659 r

1    WHEREAS, Recent studies have proven that patients that are
2being treated for chronic pain who regularly receive a
3toxicology screening are much more compliant with their
4prescriptions, which reduces the chance for overdose, saves the
5healthcare system money, and decreases the chances that
6prescription drugs will end up being sold illegally on the
7black market; and
 
8    WHEREAS, In 2012, the State of Georgia mandated physicians
9that treat chronic pain have a toxicology screening performed
10every 3 months on their patients; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13we urge the Illinois Department of Public Health to conduct a
14study on mandated random toxicology screening by physicians
15treating chronic pain and make specific determinations on the
16effectiveness of such policy to reduce overdoses, combat
17illegal prescription drug sales, and increase cost
18effectiveness in the healthcare system; and be it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Department of Public
20Health to submit its findings to the House of Representatives
21as soon as possible after the conclusion of the study.