WASHINGTON – The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) – the leading organization and collective voice of medical imaging equipment, radiopharmaceutical manufacturers, innovators, and product developers – applauded the US Senate for including a bipartisan provision in the Opioid Crisis Response Act meant to facilitate the development of ultrasound-guided technologies as an alternative to using opioids for pain management.

“We commend the Senate’s support of this legislation as it will spur the development of new therapies meant to help patients better manage their pain while reducing the need for opioids in the emergency room,” said Joe Robinson, Chairman of the MITA Board of Directors and Senior Vice President of Health Systems Solutions at Philips Healthcare.

The bill would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to provide technical assistance to hospitals and other acute care providers to develop and test alternative pain management protocols meant to limit the use of opioids, including such technologies as ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia and focused ultrasound therapy.
Ultrasound technology has the potential to transform the practice of pain management. Using the power of direct visualization, clinicians can safely and routinely perform ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia to deliver pain relief without the use of opioids or other pain medication. Focused ultrasound therapy has also been shown to be effective in suppressing or stimulating nerve activity with the goal of relieving both acute and chronic pain.

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