Congressman Throws Support Behind Bills That Address Growing Opioid Epidemic

Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA 8) joined the House of Representatives last week in passing a package of more than a dozen bipartisan bills aimed at addressing the nation’s growing opioid epidemic. Fitzpatrick serves as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse.

“The dangerous abuse of prescription drugs and opioids is a national concern with local implications,” said Fitzpatrick. “The cost of this epidemic in terms of both lives and funds is unacceptable and requires a head-on response. While I’m pleased that the House has taken action, there is more that must be done at all levels.”

Fitzpatrick noted that community-based efforts combined with work at the federal level can help address the dangerous connection between over-prescription of opioid painkillers and addiction.

According to statistics provided by Fitzpatrick’s office, between 2002 and 2013, national heroin deaths nearly quadrupled, reaching more than 8,000 annually by 2013. In Pennsylvania, heroin overdoses and opioid abuse will kill more people than homicides or influenza.

Opioid abuse, which is estimated to kill one person every 12 minutes also imposes an estimated $55 billion in societal costs annually.

“We are awash in a tide of heroin and opiate abuse. While we in law enforcement are always grateful for more resources to investigate unlawful drug distribution, we simply can’t ‘arrest’ our way out of this epidemic: We have to reduce the demand and help those in the throes of addiction,” said Bucks County Assistant District Attorney Matt Weintraub. “The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016, and other legislation like it, helps us by providing funding for much-needed collaboration between criminal justice and substance abuse agencies. This will enable us to develop and expand programs to prevent, treat and respond to opioid abuse.”

The bills include:

• H.R. 4978, Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act– Require the Comptroller General of the United States to issue a report one year after enactment on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS).
• H.R. 1818, Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2015– Create a demonstration program to streamline emergency medical technician state requirements and procedures for veterans who have already completed military emergency medical technician training.
• H.R. 4981, Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Expansion and Modernization Act– Amend the Controlled Substances Act to expand access to medication-assisted treatment, while ensuring that patients receive the full array of quality evidence-based services and minimizing the potential for drug diversion.
• H.R. 4969, John Thomas Decker Act– Amend the Public Health Service Act to direct HHS to study what information and resources are available to youth athletes and their families regarding the dangers of opioid use and abuse, non-opioid treatment options, and how to seek addiction treatment.
• H.R. 4599, Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016– Amend the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to clarify when a prescription for a drug listed on Schedule II of the CSA may be partially filled.
• H.R. 4976, Opioid Review Modernization Act – Require the FDA to work closely with expert advisory committees before making critical product approval and labeling decisions, and to make recommendations regarding education programs for prescribers of extended-release and long-acting opioids.
• H.R. 4982, Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act of 2016– Require the Comptroller General of the United States to issue a report to Congress on substance abuse treatment availability and infrastructure needs throughout the United States. This report shall include an evaluation of various substance abuse treatment settings including inpatient, outpatient, and detoxification programs.
• H.R. 5046, Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act– To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to assist State and local governments in addressing the national epidemic of opioid abuse, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 5052– Direct the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to evaluate the effectiveness of grant programs that provide grants for the primary purpose of providing assistance in addressing problems pertaining to opioid abuse, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 5048, Good Samaritan Assessment Act of 2016– Require a study by the Comptroller General of the United States on Good Samaritan laws that pertain to treatment of opioid overdoses, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 3680, Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2015– Provide for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a grant program for co-prescribing opioid overdose reversal drugs.
• H.R. 4586, Lali’s Law– Amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to States for developing standing orders and educating health care professionals regarding the dispensing of opioid overdose reversal medication without person-specific prescriptions, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 4167, Kari’s Law– Amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require multi-line telephone systems to have a default configuration that permits users to directly initiate a call to 9-1-1 without dialing any additional digit, code, prefix, or post-fix, and for other purposes.
• H. Amdt. S. 524– Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016