AMA welcomes expanded access to treatment for substance use disorder

Statement attributable to:
Bobby Mukkamala, MD
President, American Medical Association

“The American Medical Association (AMA) welcomes new federal efforts to expand access to substance use disorder treatment, recovery support, and mental health care.

“Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy’s announcement includes new funding and initiatives to strengthen access to mental health programs and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), which are critical components of a comprehensive approach to addressing the overdose and death epidemic.

“The AMA also supports HHS efforts to streamline access to MOUD for parents with opioid use disorder to help prevent their children from entering foster care, an approach that has the potential to improve outcomes for parents and families. Medications such as buprenorphine and methadone are proven, life-saving treatments and should be accessible without unnecessary barriers for patients who need them.

“The AMA welcomes this focus on expanding access to evidence-based treatment and looks forward to reviewing additional details as these initiatives move forward.”

The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.