WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced his support for the Protecting Our Infants Act, a bill that would direct federal agencies to develop treatment strategies for maternal opioid abuse and provide the best practices for treating babies who may be experiencing withdrawal. The legislation would require the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate and improve recommendations on prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

“As the number of high-dose opioid prescriptions increases, more and more infants are coming into the world dependent on drugs,” Senator King said. “It’s a deeply troubling trend, and one we must work to curb to help ensure that kids in Maine and across the country are getting every chance to succeed, beginning at birth. With the Protecting Our Infants Act, we can coordinate a national effort to identify and treat infants and their mothers who are gripped by opioid addiction, and work to prevent future addictions from happening in the first place.”

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) refers to cases in which newborns experience drug withdrawal shortly after birth due to exposure in utero. NAS can result from the use of prescription drugs that are legitimately prescribed, from the abuse of prescription drugs, or from the use of illegal opioids like heroin. Since the early 2000’s, there has been a 300 percent increase in the number of infants who are diagnosed with NAS. Maine has the nation’s highest rate of prescriptions for long-acting, extended-release opioid pain relievers and is ranked 11^th in its prescription rate for its high-dose opioid pain relievers, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control.

The Protecting Our Infants Act would direct the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to conduct a study to help develop recommendations for preventing and treating prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome. The legislation also instructs HHS to develop a strategy to address research and program gaps, such as determining the most appropriate treatment for pregnant women with opioid use disorders. It also authorizes the CDC to provide technical assistance to states to improve data collections and understanding of NAS.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

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