U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) recently introduced the Co-prescribing Saves Lives Act, which aims to prevent opioid overdose deaths by urging physicians to co-prescribe the life-saving drug naloxone alongside opioid prescriptions.
The bill also hopes to make naloxone more widely available in the federal health care realm.
“Families and communities across West Virginia have been affected by the drug-abuse epidemic, with our state sadly leading the nation in drug-related overdose deaths,” Capito said. “We must fight this terrible epidemic from all fronts, including preventing deaths from opioid overdoses. This bill will help save lives, better equip our health care professionals with tools to treat overdoses and give West Virginians suffering from addiction a second chance.”
West Virginia has the highest number of overdose deaths in the U.S., Capito’s office said.
“In every corner of Virginia, the drug abuse epidemic is hurting families, challenging local law enforcement and leaving businesses without a capable workforce,” Kaine said. “A particularly heartbreaking aspect of this crisis is that many of the deaths from opioid and heroin overdoses could have been prevented. My bill would increase access to medication that can save someone’s life during an overdose and establish clear prescribing guidelines that will help get vital information about opioids to doctors and patients.”