The National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP) is urging members of Congress to support federal programs to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak as well as an epidemic of opioid drug abuse in the country the virus might be fueling.
“Early data has demonstrated that the economic downturn, prolonged periods of social distancing and overall uncertainty of COVID-19 have caused an increase in opioid-related mortality in at least 30 states,” Lemrey Carter, NABP executive director, said on the organizations’ website. “Congress must continue to consider the damage caused by the opioid epidemic and proactively invest in countermeasures to ensure this crisis is not further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The NABP sent a letter to congressional leaders expressing the concern that the coronavirus epidemic is expanding opioid overdose and abuse cases.
The letter also outlined the organization’s efforts to assist members to combat the crisis, including wider access to prescription monitoring and tracking through a software program called NABP PMP Interconnect. The letter invited legislators to use the monitoring system in the formulating of public policy regarding pharmacy issues.
The NABP is an international association of pharmacists tasked with protecting public health.
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