NACDS endorses Senate bill to curb Rx abuse

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has offered its support for new legislation — S. 2862, the Regulatory Transparency, Patient Access, and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2014 — which calls for a collaborative, coordinated approach to curbing prescription drug abuse and safeguarding patients.



Introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., the bill would establish a congressionally mandated report from the Department of Health and Human Services, facilitated in consultation with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.



The report would identify obstacles to legitimate patient access to controlled substances, issues of diversion of these products, and opportunities to better coordinate federal, state and stakeholder activities that can reduce prescription drug abuse without compromising access to medications for patients who legitimately need them. Stakeholders, including pharmacy, will also have an opportunity to provide feedback and recommendations as part of the report process.



“We applaud Senators Hatch and Whitehouse for their leadership in moving forward with this legislation to address one of the most complex public health problems we face,” stated NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson.  “Problems like drug abuse and meeting patients’ needs merit the highest form of collaboration among experts in government and in the private sector, but the best of intentions do not always provide that.”



This Senate bill largely mirrors the House bill, H.R. 4709, Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2014, which was introduced earlier this year by U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee vice chair Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa.  Also backed by NACDS, the House bill passed the House in August.



“NACDS and chain pharmacy are committed to working together with federal and state agencies, law enforcement personnel, policymakers, and other stakeholders to work on viable strategies to simultaneously advance patient health and prevent prescription drug abuse,” stated Anderson.