By EMS1 Staff
WASHINGTON — The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians has urged the U.S. Senate to pass S.2932, which protects patients’ rights to emergency medication.
Currently, ambulance services administer lifesaving controlled substances through licensed physician medical directors who issue standing orders. If the Drug Enforcement Agency rules are enacted upon EMS, standing orders will not be allowed. This would require medical directors to issue specific prescriptions for each emergency patient.
Administration of emergency medication would be delayed or possibly prevented through this new requirement.
In response, Congress is attempting to pass legislation to continue to allow EMS medical directors to issue standing orders for emergency medication, while still allowing the DEA to prevent diversion of controlled substances.The House voted to pass the bill Nov. 14.
With passage in the Senate, this legislation can be signed into law by President Barack Obama before the end of the year. NAEMT encourages the public to contact their U.S. Senators and urge them to pass S. 2932.