Senate bill takes aim at curbing drug diversion, abuse

ARLINGTON, Va. — A Senate bill that would help ensure patient access to medications and help curb prescription drug abuse and diversion was introduced last week.



U.S. Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., last week introduced S. 483, the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015.

 

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores expressed its support in a letter to Hatch and Whitehouse. In the letter, NACDS stated, “We are pleased to support this legislation, as it would promote comprehensive and consistent strategies to ensure that patients continue to have access to necessary medications, while also addressing and preventing prescription drug diversion and abuse.”

 

Specifically, S. 483 would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate with the Drug Enforcement Administration to assess patient obstacles to legitimate access to controlled substances, to identify how collaboration between agencies and stakeholders can benefit patients and prevent diversion and abuse of prescription drugs, and to provide their findings in a report to Congress.

 

“We are appreciative that this legislation would require HHS and DEA to consult with patient and provider groups, including pharmacies, among other stakeholders,” NACDS stated in its letter.  “Pharmacies play an important role in efforts to prevent prescription drug diversion and abuse.”

 

S. 483 is similar to H.R. 471, which passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week.  Introduced last month in the House by Reps. Tom Marino, R-Pa.; Peter Welch, D-Vt.; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; and Judy Chu, D-Calif., H.R. 471 also is supported by NACDS.