BILL NUMBER: S3883B
SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to dispensing certain
controlled substances for use by a person with a substance use disorder
 
PURPOSE:
Allows EMT-Paramedics to administer controlled substances when respond-
ing to a person who has acute withdrawal symptoms.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one:
Amends subdivision 1 of section 3351 of the public health law to update
terminology of "abuse" of controlled substances to "substance use disor-
der or habitual substance use."
Amends subdivision 2 of section 3351 of the public health law to allow
advanced emergency medical technician-paramedics, acting within their
scope of practice, to administer controlled substances to relieve acute
withdrawal symptoms in those who are dealing with a substance use disor-
der.
Section two:
Existing PHL 3351 has two sets of the same language tied to different
effective and expiration dates. So section two of this bill just dupli-
cates the same changes as section one.
Section three establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Patients with opioid use disorder who have overdosed and require nalox-
one reversal are at increased risk for recurrent overdose and death and
also present an opportunity for intervention. Buprenorphine, a partial
opioid antagonist, provides some relief from opioid withdrawal symptoms.
It is safe and effective for paramedic administration. A pilot project
in California came to the conclusion that EMS administered buprenorphine
is possible, safe, and results in significant retention in care at 30
days. Prehospital initiation of buprenorphine treatment for opioid use
disorder (OUD) by paramedics is an emerging potential intervention to
reach the patients at greatest risk for opioid-related deaths.
Emergency medical services (EMS) patients who are at high risk for over-
dose deaths may never engage In treatment as they frequently decline
transport to the hospital after natoxone reversal Not only is there a
high level of stigma in treating these patients, but also there is a
lack of training and education among EMS personnel about the acute
treatments for OUD in the emergency department.
Strong evidence suggests that the initiation of medication for opioid
use disorder (MOUD) is the single most effective intervention to prevent
overdose deaths in patients with OUD and that increasing access to medi-
cation should be a national public health priority. (from H. Gene Hem,
Vanessa Lara, David Goldstein, M. Kalmin, S. Kidane, S. Shoptaw, Ori
Tzvieli & Andrew A. Herring (2023) Prehospital Buprenorphine Treatment
for Opioid Use Disorder by Paramedics: First Year Results of the EMS
Buprenorphine Use Pilot, Prehospital Emergency Care, 27:3, 334-342, D
01:10.1080/10903127.2022,2061661)
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Similar to:
2025: S.3883A Passed Senate / A.2253A Referred to Health
2023-24: A.942 - Referred to Health
2021-22: A.3462 - Referred to Health
2019-20: A.9584 - Referred to Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State,
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S3883: 3351 public health law