Chronic Pain Management Bill Returns To RI State House

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Rhode Island chronic pain advocate is once again bringing her fight to the State House. Claudia Merandi, the founder of the Don't Punish Pain Rally, is pushing to give doctors the right to prescribe opioids, without restriction, to those who suffer from chronic pain.

Merandi is set to testify at the House of Representative's Health, Education and Welfare Committee meeting on Wednesday in favor of legislation named for her. Claudia's Bill would allow doctors the ability to offer patients pain management tools without adhering to the 2016 guidelines for prescribing opioids set forth by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.

"While there is no doubt about the severity of the opioid epidemic in our country, efforts to curtail it have at the same time negatively affected the quality of life of thousands of chronic pain sufferers in our state who are being denied access to medicine by healthcare professionals fearful of running afoul of the law," Merandi said. "Chronic pain sufferers are usually older people who have taken their opioids responsibly, have stored them correctly and have exhausted all other alternative options available, including medical marijuana. This measure will provide relief to the forgotten victims of the opioid crisis."

This is not the first time Rhode Island lawmakers have taken up the issue of chronic pain. Last year, Claudia's Bill passed the House of Representatives unanimously, but was not approved by the Senate before the end of the legislative session.

Merandi has dedicated her life to advocating for those who suffer from chronic pain. A pain sufferer herself, she founded the national Don't Punish Pain Rally, which will be held this year on March 20.

This legislation will be an important step forward, she said, saying it would be a "beacon of hope" for people across the country if passed in Rhode Island. Similar bills have been introduced in several other states New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.

"If we can pass this bill in Rhode Island, we'll set a precedent for other states," Merandi said previously.

The committee is set to take up the bill on Wednesday afternoon, starting at 4:30 p.m.