HDMA in testimony to Congress: Government, industry should partner on combating Rx drug abuse

ARLINGTON, Va. — Healthcare Distribution Management Association president and CEO John Gray on Monday testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health at a hearing on “Improving Predictability and Transparency in DEA and FDA Regulation.” HDMA is in support of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2014, H.R. 4069, sponsored by Reps. Marino, R-Pa., and Blackburn, R-Tenn. 

“The Marino-Blackburn legislation will further define key terminology in the Controlled Substances Act, so companies registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration have clearer direction of their responsibilities under the law," he testified. 

"A key provision allows DEA-registered companies to establish corrective action plans to address and mitigate any agency concerns — similar to the way FDA interacts and regulates pharmaceutical manufacturers — so industry and regulators can partner to address drug abuse and diversion. HDMA and our primary healthcare distributor members are working to identify collaborative and transparent solutions, in partnership with our supply chain trading partners and government officials, to slow the prescription drug abuse epidemic in our country, and the Marino-Blackburn bill is one step in our efforts to achieve that goal.”