The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians joined the Medical Association Coalition (MAC) in support the State Medical Board of Ohio’s (SMBO) proposal to rescind OAC 4731-16-16 Practice prohibition.
The current rule prohibits a licensee from utilizing a controlled substance for the treatment of an opioid dependence. The current prohibition has the potential to dissuade physicians who have an opioid use disorder from receiving proper treatment for their condition.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is treatment for substance use disorders that includes the use of medication paired with counseling and other support. The opioid addiction treatment community agrees that MAT when combined with counseling, is a proven path to recovery. Medications used in MAT for opioid treatment can only be dispensed through a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-certified provider and some of the medications used in MAT are controlled substances due to their potential for misuse.
According to SAMHSA, a common misconception associated with MAT is that it substitutes one drug for another. Instead, these medications relieve the withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body. MAT programs provide a safe and controlled level of medication to overcome the use of an abused opioid. And research has shown that when provided at the proper dose, medications used in MAT have no adverse effects on a person’s intelligence, mental capability, physical functioning, or employability.
The OAFP joins other MAC members in applauding the SMBO for appreciating that Ohio physicians are also Ohio patients. All patients in Ohio deserve to receive the most appropriate treatments available. It is both moral and fair that physicians who are receiving effective treatment for an opioid use disorder continue to receive treatment that allows them to return to the practice of medicine when they are ready to do so.