Jessie Law May 2026

: The law requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish best practices for prominently displaying a patient’s history of opioid use disorder in their medical records, similar to how a life-threatening drug allergy is flagged.

By addressing the communication gaps within hospital "silos," the law aims to save lives by removing the temptation of high-dose opioids for those in recovery. It serves as a tribute to Jessie Grubb’s legacy, turning a personal tragedy into a national standard for patient safety in the face of the opioid epidemic. jessie law

: The primary goal is to ensure that every healthcare provider involved in a patient's care—especially those prescribing medication—has the information needed to provide medically appropriate, safe treatment. Wider Impact : The law requires the Department of Health

: Information regarding addiction history is only shared if the patient provides explicit consent. : The primary goal is to ensure that

Introduced by Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, Jessie’s Law was designed to prevent similar preventable deaths. It was eventually included in the 2018 omnibus spending bill and signed into law.

The law is named after , an avid runner and student from West Virginia who had been in recovery from heroin addiction for several years. In 2016, following hip surgery in Michigan, Jessie and her family explicitly informed hospital staff of her addiction history eight separate times to ensure she was not prescribed addictive narcotics.

AI responses may include mistakes. For legal advice, consult a professional. Learn more S.581 - Jessie's Law 115th Congress (2017-2018)