Senate panel backs bill addressing Rx abuse, access
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Senate’s Judiciary Committee has moved forward a piece of legislation that could lead to collaboration between health and law enforcement agencies to curb prescription drug abuse while ensuring patients can access their medication. The committee approved the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act Wednesday — a little less than a year after the House of Representatives passed similar legislation with the same name
Included in the legislation is a provision that would let the Drug Enforcement Administration to coordinate with the Dept. of Health and Human Services to figure out obstacles that prevent legitimate access to patients’ medication and curb prescription drug abuse. The two organizations, under the provision, would submit their findings to Congress. The move forward for the bill has industry organizations hopeful for its passage and grateful to its sponsors.
“NACDS recognizes the bill’s lead Senate sponsors, Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., for their vigilance on this highly complex issue,” NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson said. “And we want to recognize the leadership of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., for bringing the bill before the Committee.”
The committee's approval also drew praise from the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA).
“We are pleased that this bipartisan legislation — widely supported the pharmaceutical supply chain and dozens of patient and provider groups — has cleared an important hurdle on its way to what we hope will be full Senate passage,” HDMA President and CEO John M. Gray said. “The Senate Judiciary Committee has clearly recognized that it takes the collaborative efforts of each segment of the pharmaceutical supply chain, as well as enforcement agencies, to effectively mitigate the scourge of prescription drug abuse in this country. We are hopeful that the full Senate will vote on this important legislation.”