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The year-end package failed to include important bipartisan addiction treatment provisions, such as the reauthorization of the landmark SUPPORT鈥痜or Patients and Communities Act and passage of the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act  

ASAM urges Congress to quickly advance key legislation to help treat addiction and save lives in early 2025 

Rockville, MD (Dec. 21, 2024) – In response to the passage of the American Relief Act, 2025, which failed to reauthorize vital programs to address the nation’s ongoing overdose crisis and expand access to lifesaving medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), Brian Hurley, MD, MBA, FAPA, DFASAM, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), issued the following statement: 

“Congress has fumbled a critical opportunity to advance lifesaving addiction treatment provisions within its year-end package. ASAM is greatly disappointed in this failure to include bipartisan measures to improve access to evidence-based substance use disorder (SUD) care, including the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act (MOTAA) and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT). Both passed out of the Senate HELP committee with the backing of Chair Bernie Sanders and Ranking Member Dr. Bill Cassidy.  

MOTAA would safely and responsibly expand access to methadone for the treatment of OUD, whereas reauthorization of SUPPORT would promote patient access to critical recovery programs and address the severe shortage of SUD treatment providers. Together, they would equip addiction specialist physicians with more tools in the fight for patient remission and recovery from addiction. 

As overdose deaths remain unacceptably high, ASAM remains committed to advocating for MOTAA, SUPPORT Reauthorization, and other must-pass legislation that will expand patient access to evidence-based SUD care and shore up the addiction medicine workforce. We look forward to working with the 119th Congress and the Trump administration in the new year to advance meaningful policies to protect the health and wellbeing of all people living with addiction.”