What We're Reading: 18 Opioid Addiction Bills in the House

There are 18 bills in the House that address the opioid addiction epidemic in the United States. According to The New York Times, the bills include measures that make it easier for doctors to treat patients with addiction, offer greater protections for veterans and children affected, and a study of laws aimed at shielding providers and law enforcement who help treat opioid addicts. The House bills are expected to be packaged together after approval, at which point they need to be reconciled with similar legislation in the Senate.

How well do medical professional do with carrying out a dying person’s wishes? In a poll of Massachusetts residents, only one-third of people with a relative who had died said their wishes were fully carried out, reported the Boston Globe. Furthermore, the telephone survey of nearly 2000 residents found that 20% said end-of-life care for their loved was fair or poor. Responses suggest that a lack of planning by doctors and patients lead to turmoil and misunderstanding during the last days of a person’s life.