Written Informed Consent Act

This bill tells the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand its informed consent policy so it’s not just for long-term opioid pain treatment. The VA must update its 2020 directive, “Informed Consent for Long-term Opioid Therapy for Pain,” to also cover antipsychotics, stimulants, antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and other narcotics. This means the same kind of clear, written consent process used for long-term opioids would also apply when these medicines are prescribed to veterans in VA care.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Veterans receiving care through the VA, and VA health providers.
• What changes: The VA must extend its existing informed consent policy to antipsychotics, stimulants, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and narcotics, not just opioids.
• When: The VA is directed to update the policy; the bill does not set a specific date in the text provided.