The U.S. House passed a bill that is aimed at curbing the opioid epidemic through stopping prescription shopping and illegal sale of opioids. | Isaac Quesada on Unsplash
The U.S. House passed a bill that is aimed at curbing the opioid epidemic through stopping prescription shopping and illegal sale of opioids. | Isaac Quesada on Unsplash
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 410-15 to pass the Opioid Prescription Verification act of 2021, which is focused on stopping prescription shopping while also combating the illegal sale of opioids.
The bill sponsored by Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) is called H.R. 2355 and according to a release, it incentivizes states to adopt protocols to “require electronic prescribing of opioids and full use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP) to stop ‘prescription shopping.’” This is where people talk to multiple doctors or pharmacies in an effort to illegally procure drugs. It also would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to work with the CDC and other agencies to give materials and guidance to pharmacists on how to dispense safe and responsible opioid prescriptions.
“Overdose deaths have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made it even more critical than ever that law enforcement and health officials have the tools they need to combat drug abuse, including opioid abuse,” said Davis, who originally announced the bill in April. “The Opioid Prescription Verification Act, inspired by a meeting I had with the Normal Police Department a few years ago, would better train pharmacists to verify identities to prevent pharmacy shopping, deter individuals from pharmacy shopping for prescriptions, and encourage the full use of electronic prescription drug monitoring programs.”
Davis said the bill will help doctors and pharmacists track prescriptions that a patient has received. He said more needs to be done to combat the opioid crisis, and this bill is part of that effort to save lives.
According to the release by Davis, the bill was inspired by a case where prescription shoppers illegally procured 300 opioid pills to be sold on the black market.
The use of PDMPs has been identified by HHS as one of the most promising tools used to address opioid abuse and misuse, the release stated.
Voting in favor of the bill were 214 Democrats and 196 Republicans, while 15 Republicans voted against. Six Democrats and two Republicans did not cast a vote, including fellow Republican Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger. The bill has since gone to the Senate.
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