House sends AHA-backed EMS bill to President

The House of Representatives yesterday passed by unanimous consent the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medicines Act (H.R. 304). The AHA-supported legislation clarifies that medications governed by the Controlled Substances Act may be administered by emergency medical services practitioners under a standing order issued by the EMS agency’s physician medical director. “If EMS practitioners cannot rely on standing orders to authorize administration of medications governed by the CSA, treatment may be delayed for patients in pain or experiencing other significant symptoms,” noted AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels in a January letter of support for the bill. H.R. 304 passed the House by a vote of 404-0 in January. It passed the Senate, as amended with minor technical corrections, last month. The bill now goes to President Trump for his signature.