As we previously reported, on February 12, 2015, Senators Hatch and Whitehouse introduced the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015. Also on that date, the Senators introduced legislation that would also amend the Controlled Substances Act, as well as the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This legislation addresses, among other things,
Legislation Introduced in Senate Seeking to Amend CSA
On February 12, 2015, Senators Hatch and Whitehouse introduced the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015. This is the companion bill to H.R. 471, sponsored by Representatives Marino, Blackburn, Welch, and Chu that was recently approved by the Subcommittee on Health, Energy and Commerce Committee. At a recent Congressional
DEA Announces New Ways for the Public to Dispose of Unused Controlled Substances
Beginning next month, consumers will have an easier time getting rid of unused painkillers and other addictive drugs, which DEA hopes will discourage people from flushing the drugs down the toilet, throwing them in the garage, or leaving them, forgotten, in their medicine cabinets. The new disposal methods include allowing people to drop off
DEA Finalizes Rule to Schedule Tramadol
Possibly in the hopes of catching everyone before they leave for their 4th of July holiday, the DEA published its Final Rule in the Federal Register on July 2nd placing tramadol into Schedule IV effective August 18, 2014. (Tramadol is a centrally acting opioid analgesic first approved for use in the U.S. in 1995 under
Don’t Squeeze the Balloon: An International Perspective on Preventing Prescription Drug Overdoses
Last year the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) published a paper on reducing opioid overdose mortality. The paper addressed opioid overdoses related to heroin use and concluded that reduction in supply is an effective measure governments can take to reduce heroin overdoses. The UNODC and
Defining, but Protecting, DEA’s Suspension Powers: the Impact of HR 4069
The “Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act” introduced by Representatives Blackburn and Marino defines the term “imminent danger.” The Controlled Substances Act requires DEA to find that a registrant poses an imminent danger to public health or safety before the Agency can issue an immediate suspension order, but the current law
Congressional Hearing on CSA Amendment
Today at 3 p.m., I will be joining DEA’s Mr. Joseph Rannazzisi, HDMA CEO John Gray and others to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding a proposed amendment to the Controlled Substances Act. H.R.
Sometimes Numbers Lie: Decline in Opioid Prescriptions is Hollow
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, IMS has reported that the number of prescriptions for opioids declined 5% in 2013 compared to 2012. Although this could signal a positive step in combating opioid abuse, data suggest otherwise. The decline in the number of prescriptions for opioids
Hydrocodone Rescheduling: Yesterday’s Solutions for Today’s Problem
FDA recently announced that it was recommending that hydrocodone combination products be moved from Schedule III to Schedule II under the Controlled Substances Act. The placement of hydrocodone combination products in Schedule II is a great idea — for 2003. But FDA’s belated action is unlikely to have a significant impact on prescription drug abuse.
Veterans’ Affairs Hearing on VA Prescribing Practices
Around this time last year I wrote an article for Q&B’s Diversity Blog discussing two disturbing trends regarding members of the Armed Forces and specifically veterans. The increasing suicide rate and abuse of prescription drugs are unfortunate outcomes of the stress that more than 12 years of persistent war has placed on the