A provision to allow partial filling of opioid painkiller prescriptions co-led by U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) and U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) was recently included in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA).
The measure, which was introduced with bipartisan support in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, would allow partial filling of opioid painkiller prescriptions to prevent abuse and diversion.
“I’m excited that our provision will become law,” Stivers said. “It will help reduce drug abuse by reducing the amount of unused opioids in medicine cabinets around the country. This provision is one piece of the puzzle to address our opioid addiction epidemic.”
Alexander added that the provision would help prevent drug abuse and overdoses by authorizing pharmacists to fill part of schedule II drug prescriptions.
“To prevent opioid medications from ending up in the wrong hands, we need to reduce drug diversion,” Capito said. “The Reducing Unused Medications Act will scale back the misuse of pain killers and provide more clarity to states as they move forward with partial fill policies. I am glad that this legislation will become law as part of our continued efforts to curb America’s drug epidemic.”
U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), a supporter of the bill, said that too often millions of unused prescription drugs left in family medicine cabinets lead to addiction.
“Bipartisan passage of this national opioid reform package is an important step in saving lives; however, the job is not complete until Congress fully funds our nation’s response to this deadly epidemic,” Clark said. “Republicans and Democrats should continue working together to secure the funding needed to help our communities.”