Rounds Introduces Legislation to Help Treat PTSD Among Service Members

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, today introduced the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Medication Prescribing Improvement Act of 2016. This legislation would require each branch of the armed forces to monitor the prescribing practices of medications to treat symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among service members.

“Unless each branch of our armed forces carefully monitor prescriptions of medications to treat service members with PTSD, they may not be following clinical practice guidelines,” said Rounds. “This could have negative consequences for our warfighters who are undergoing treatment in military medical treatment facilities. By monitoring the prescribing practices for service members with PTSD, we can make sure our returning warfighters receive the proper treatment necessary to alleviate symptoms of PTSD.”

The Defense Department and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) have jointly developed clinical practice guidelines related to PTSD, which include recommendations for the treatment of symptoms among service members and veterans with PTSD. VHA currently monitors the prescribing of medications included in the PTSD guidelines, but the Defense Department does not.

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