NACDS pleased with momentum of prescription drug abuse bill

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is pleased with the momentum the proposed bill to combat prescription drug abuse, which cleared the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this week, is gaining.

The bill is the result of a partnership of health and enforcement authorities to produce a drug abuse solution that protects legitimate patients’ access to prescription medicines.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved S. 483, the “Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act” this week. In April of last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 471, a bill that is very similar to the one passed by the Senate. U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are the lead sponsors for the bill in the Senate and have been very active in backing the article.

One of the provisions included in the legislation is that the Department of Health and Human Services would form a collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration to evaluate hurdles for patients to gain valid access to controlled substances, recognize how agencies and stakeholders can work together to benefit patients and prevent prescription drug abuse, and present their results to Congress.