As the opioid epidemic plaguing Tennessee and other regions around the country continues to make headlines, one local Congressional Representative is working on a new way to help combat the problem.

U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) said he is currently working with other members of Congress on a new piece of legislation that would amend the Controlled Substances Act.

“It’s an opioid prescribing bill,” Roe explained.

The proposed legislation would work to educate physicians on alternatives to prescribing opioids and also put more restrictions in place regarding the prescribing of opioids in certain instances.

As part of the proposed changes, doctors prescribing opioid medications would be tasked with using trying to use other medical options, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) pain medications, if appropriate before prescribing an opioid pain medication, Roe said. When prescribing an opioid, Roe said the doctors would be required to use the lowest effective dosage possible to properly treat the patient.

Restrictions would also be placed on the length of prescriptions and refills of medication, Roe said.

“You do not write a prescription for more than 10 days and with a refill,” Roe said.

The new legislation is just one way to begin combating the opioid abuse epidemic, according to Roe. Studies have shown that many who become addicted to opioid medications do so through the legitimate use of a prescription given to them by a medical provider.

“Hopefully, what we’re trying to do is change the way doctors prescribe opioid medications,” Roe said. “I was in practice for many years and never wrote a single OxyContin prescription and saw thousands of patients.”

These new changes would not affect those patients who receive opioid pain medication prescriptions as a treatment for cancer or chronic illnesses.

“This is for acute pain,” Roe explained, saying these regulations would be for those doctors prescribing the medication to individuals needing treatment for acute pain from injuries, operations and other sudden onset conditions that are not chronic.

“This is not for those with chronic pain, or those undergoing cancer treatments, or those on palliative care.”

The proposed bill is still currently in the writing stage and has not been filed for introduction to the House of Representative at this time.