As a doctor practicing for 30 years, I sometimes have patients who then move to other states and have a hard time finding Physicians there. I am a psychiatrist and there is a national shortage of psychiatrists. In fact we are allowed to prescribe in certain circumstances in other states and this has been life-saving for some of my patients. I am not talking about opiates, which I don't prescribe, I'm talking about virtually all other medications, some of which are controlled such as benzodiazepines which my patients with epilepsy often require long-term to stay seizure free. To "carry and administer" medicine, not so much, but to sanction our ability to prescribe across state lines, absolutely.

There are some controlled-substance prescriptions, such as those for ADHD that can only be refilled on the day the previous prescription runs out. If the patient happens to be out of state during that narrow window of time, they cannot refill their prescriptions, and it is harmful to the patient to suddenly drop the medication. This is a common problem for business travelers and college students.

After hurricane Katrina and the flood of last year, I understand the need for this bill. Many doctors cross borders to assist after natural disasters. This would benefit the many people who are evacuated to shelters as well as free up essential resources that have to be utilized for these patients to receive their medications. I also get the impression this bill may also be geared towards paramedics and other EMS personnel transporting patients out of their state of registry, being able to practice under their states standing orders without having to obtain permission from a medical director.

Medicine does not know state boundaries

If we are one country, there should be one nationally recognized MD degree and all the responsibilities that come with it. Sickness has no arbitrary boundaries; doctors shouldn't have them, either.

The question is not this simple, however greater liberty in the ability of a doctor to treat their patient is definitely for the best in a country which views illness of its citizens purely as a profit vector for insurance companies. This would allow genuinely humane doctors to occasionally do their important work. We should also make sure that all of Congress and their families enjoy exactly the same medical coverage as our veterans and senior citizens. EXACTLY the same.

If I move someplace for the winter , it would be great to keep my own doctor of 20 years instead of starting over with another doctor.I suffer from chronic medical issues

Legal in many states, remove the conflict for a substance that clearly should not be schedule 1.

This may help to prevent the abuse of prescription drugs. My fear is that this is not abused by Jeff Sessions to crack down on Medical Marijuana, but it appears to be worded that the administration of the controlled substances is per state laws. I support this bill unless it has loopholes for abuse of power in the war on drugs.

Very important for folks who need medical care that is inaccessible in their home state.

The last thing we need to be doing is arresting doctors for carrying medicine across state lines that their patients need.

If state law allows a physician to prescribe and administer why is this a problem? If you live in a border town say between Texas and Arkansas do you only practice in one state if you have two offices one in each state? It's a foolish limitation.

As a long-term (20+ yrs) sufferer of SEVERE chronic pain, I have had to organize my entire life around being "home" to see my Pain Mgmnt Phys for monthly refills of necessary pain meds that currently cannot be refilled over the phone, out of state or any other way but in person at my Doc's office. I understand the desire to prevent abusive practices by drug seeking patients and greedy physicians willing to risk their licenses to make an extra buck. Nonetheless, the pendulum has swung too far with respect to preventing abuse versus access for real patients who already suffer enough without having to make it a monumentally painstaking job just to get the proper meds each month. I am in favor of any effort to allow Doctors and patients to have easier access to proper treatment and if this is the first step then so be it. You can't imagine what life is like when I have a sudden illness or death in the family and can't leave right away bc I have to figure out how to get the meds I'll need while I'm gone but the law won't allow my Doc to prescribe early and I can't fill an out of state prescription even at the same Pharmacy chain I use in my home state. I can't ever take advantage of any spontaneous opportunities unless I just got my meds filled and have enough to last. Vacations (not that I can afford them with the cost of prescription drugs) have to carefully plannes and family holiday visits often get cut short bc I have to return home for my monthly appointment. Then there is the headache of hoping my pharmacy has my meds in stock bc they aren't allowed to order more than what their average monthly dispension has been so if one new patient shows up at my pharmacy with a prescription for the same medication, someone is going to get left out and have to go on a wild goose chase to try and find a pharmacy that has my meds in stock. Imagine being in horrific pain, barely able to walk and then going to 6 different pharmacies over 7 hrs only to come up empty handed, stressed out and in a pain crisis knowing I still have to do it all over again the next day