Toward ending the nation’s opioid crisis in her home state and around the country, U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) on July 26 introduced the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Best Practices Act.
“This crisis has plagued Arizona for too long,” Rep. McSally said. “We’ve taken steps to combat this epidemic but there’s still more work to be done.”
She said that’s why she introduced H.R. 6608, which would direct the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop best practice guidelines to bolster PDMPs, the electronic databases that track each state’s opioid prescriptions. H.R. 6608 also would simplify states’ adoption of PDMPs and establish a PDMP data-sharing pilot program for states.
“The opioid epidemic has torn apart families and ruined lives forever,” the congresswoman said, noting that 116 Americans die each day from a drug overdose.
“These victims come from every background – they are teachers, ranchers, retirees, and students,” she said. “No parent should have to bury their own child.”
Rep. McSally’s statement also pointed out that PDMPs may work as a powerful tracking tool to deter the misuse of controlled substances.
If enacted, H.R. 6608 would authorize guidance on the specific information that should be submitted to PDMPs, including the patients at the highest risk for misusing controlled substances and how to identify incorrect prescription trends. Additionally, guidance would focus on the best practices on treatment options for prescribers, and how to spot and address roadblocks to implementing the guidelines, according to McSally’s statement.
H.R. 6608, which is cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), has been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.