Cochran Cosponsors Pain Prevention, Treatment Research Bill

Statement

U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today cosponsored bipartisan legislation to ramp up research on chronic pain, the treatment of which is a factor in the growing problem of prescription painkiller abuse.

Cochran is an original cosponsor of the Safe Treatments and Opportunities to Prevent (STOP) Pain Act. The legislation introduced Tuesday would direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to intensify research into understanding pain, treating chronic pain, and developing opioid alternatives.

"A better understanding of chronic pain can lead to better treatments that reduce the risk of drug abuse and addiction. This bill would give the National Institutes of Health greater ability to focus its resources on meeting this challenge," Cochran said.

Under the STOP Pain Act, the NIH would better coordinate fundamental, transitional and clinical research in or to find improved medical and nursing practices to treat chronic pain. According to the National Academy of Medicine, about 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.

The bill was authored by Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and is also cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.). Provisions of the STOP Pain Act are expected to be included in the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 that is scheduled for markup Wednesday by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Cochran last week supported the Senate passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015 (S.524). This legislation would authorize a multi-agency approach to address addiction, overdoses, fatalities and crimes associated with the abuse of heroin and prescription opioid painkillers.