APA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (October 2024)

APA is opposing the Biden administration’s recommendation to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III controlled substance, which would indicate that it has some medical use and a lower potential for abuse.

Cannabis is currently a Schedule I drug, with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for dependence. In recent comments to the Drug Enforcement Administration, APA asserted that there is no “scientific evidence that cannabis is in any way beneficial for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder and there continues to be high prevalence of abuse.” In addition, current evidence has shown a strong association of cannabis use with the onset of psychiatric disorders, with teens being particularly vulnerable.

APA also said that the reclassification of cannabis may lead individuals to mistakenly believe that it is safe to use. Rather than reclassification, APA recommends regulations to support high-quality research on cannabis as well as on the treatment of cannabis use disorder that includes communities that are often left out.

Read APA’s comments here.

APA is urging passage of the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act (H.R. 9133/S. 4835), which would require private health insurance plans to cover three primary care and three behavioral health care visits during a plan year, with no copayment, coinsurance, or deductible fees for patients.

The bill, which was sponsored by the physician-nurse team of Rep. Kim Schrier, M.D., D-Wash., and Rep. Lauren Underwood, R.N., M.P.H., D-Ill., would immediately make care more affordable and improve access for millions in need, APA wrote in a recent letter to congressional leaders. “In addition,” APA noted, “early intervention mitigates the likelihood of secondary complications or comorbidities such as substance use disorders, self-harm, or the development of other mental health conditions.”

Read APA’s letter here.

APA has joined forces with the AMA and dozens of other medical associations to protect patient safety by opposing the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act (H.R. 1770/S. 2477).

If passed, the legislation would allow pharmacists to test and treat patients for certain illnesses, and also would expand Medicare payments for pharmacists. In a letter to congressional leaders, the coalition wrote that allowing pharmacists “to initiate drug regimens, administer drugs, and generally treat certain illnesses, could cause major complications for patients when their complete health is not adequately considered or adequately documented within an electronic health record.”

The coalition also wrote that pharmacists already cite a too-heavy workload and do not receive the same education or practical training as physicians on performing physical examinations, diagnosing, triaging severity, prescribing, clinically assessing patients, or performing differential diagnoses.

“We strongly encourage you to protect the health and safety of our patient population and oppose the passage of H.R. 1770/S. 2477,” the letter concluded.

Read the coalition of medical associations’ letter here. ■