Pain Management

Pain Management in supports of End-of-Life Care

Policy 9917

11/01/1999 Introduced
03/01/2004 Revised
12/01/2008 Reapproved
10/01/2012 Reapproved

AMCP opposes federal and state legislative and regulatory provisions that would foster inadequate pain treatment for patients and lessen the ability of patients to receive comprehensive end-of-life care. Further, AMCP believes that care for the dying patient is an integral part of the pharmacist's provision of pharmaceutical care.

Substance Abuse Programs

Policy 0008

02/01/2000 Introduced
02/01/2005 Reapproved
11/01/2009 Reapproved

02/21/2018 Revised

AMCP supports the involvement of pharmacists in the development and promotion of programs that prevent substance abuse and educate about substance use disorder. AMCP recommends pharmacists monitor drug use to identify cases of misuse or abuse and work with providers and patients on the best evidence-based, therapeutic intervention and monitoring plan.

Management of Opioids

Policy 1306

06/01/2013 Introduced

04/23/2018 Revised

02/13/2019 Revised

Prescription opioid medications can be effective for the treatment and management of severe acute pain; however, these medications are associated with serious risks to patients, including misuse, overdose, and death. To ensure the safe and appropriate use of opioid medications, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) supports policies that facilitate the ability of health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to effectively manage the use of opioids in their patient populations. Policies that address opioid use must strike an appropriate balance between the potential benefits and associated risks to patients.

AMCP supports the ongoing development and use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) and the expansion of PDMP access to include health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Allowing these organizations access to PDMPs will enhance their ability to recognize and assist patients who may be at risk for misuse or diversion of opioids and other controlled substances.
AMCP supports mandatory electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) for opioids and other controlled substances as a means to reduce the potential for prescription forgery and errors and identify and minimize overprescribing.

AMCP further advocates for sensible changes to existing federal and state laws to authorize implementation of safeguards, including Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) programs, education on overdose prevention and treatment, naloxone distribution programs, and programs that facilitate proper disposal of unused prescription medications.

006/01/2013 Introduced*

04/23/2018 Revised (*subject originally included policy on abuse deterrent and tamper resistant formulations, those subjects now included in Policy 1802)

Abuse Deterrent and Tamper Resistant Formulations

Policy 1802

04/23/2018 Introduced

AMCP encourages the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use its expertise to establish standards for the definition of “abuse-deterrent” and “tamper resistant.” The Agency should also require that manufacturers of those products undertake reasonable post-marketing surveillance studies that will help assess the impact of the products on both the abuse of the specific product, as well as overall rates of abuse. Because opioids may vary in their clinical effectiveness and abuse potential, AMCP supports expanding the ability of health plans to clinically manage these products. Therefore, AMCP does not support mandating the use of “abuse deterrent” and “tamper resistant products.” AMCP maintains that such products are not clinically necessary for all patients.