Senator Hassan Visits National Institutes of Health, Discusses Work on Non-Addictive Pain Treatment Options

Senator Hassan on a tour of the National Institutes of Health with Dr. Francis Collins and NIH staff.

BETHESDA, M.D. – Senator Maggie Hassan today visited the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she discussed its work to develop non-addictive pain treatment options and her efforts as a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee to address the overprescribing of highly addictive painkillers.

“The National Institutes of Health does critical work to develop lifesaving treatments and cures, including on non-addictive pain treatment options that can serve as alternatives to highly addictive painkillers,” Senator Hassan said. “It was a pleasure to visit NIH facilities and meet the medical professionals who are at the forefront of cutting edge research. As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, I will continue to support NIH’s critical work and its invaluable contributions to the health and well-being of our people.”

Senator Hassan recently helped introduce the bipartisan Advancing Cutting-Edge (ACE) Research Act to give the Director of the NIH more flexibility to approve high impact, cutting-edge research projects. This means the Director of NIH will be able to more quickly and efficiently support research on new, non-addictive painkillers and other scientific advances that will help respond to the opioid crisis. NIH will be able to more easily partner with innovative companies with cutting-edge technology to address the opioid crisis and other public health threats. Any NIH center, institute, or office which the Director of NIH allows to use this authority would be subject to annual reporting requirements. 

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