Bipartisan Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act Introduced in House and Senate
Last week, Representatives Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Dave Joyce (OH-14) introduced the Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act in the House and Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The bills, which were originally introduced in the last Congress, would grant the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) temporary authority to waive requirements for Drug-Free Communities program grantees to match federal dollars with local dollars if they are unable to meet the matching requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both bills are supported by various groups including the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA), NAADAC (the Association for Addiction Professionals), National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD), and National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives (NPSC).
Articles & Resources
Representative Derek Kilmer – Kilmer, Joyce Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Communities Address Ongoing Opioid Crisis
Senator Rob Portman – Portman, Shaheen, Capito, Whitehouse Introduce Bipartisan Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act to Combat Ongoing Drug Crisis
H.R.654 – To provide the Administrator of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program the authority to waive the Federal fund limitation for the Drug-Free Communities Support Program
S.26 – A bill to provide the Administrator of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program the authority to waive the Federal fund limitation for the Drug-Free Communities Support Program
Acting Drug Czar Says Biden Administration Will Focus on Opioid Harm-Reduction and Action Against Drug Trafficking
According to a statement by Regina LaBelle, the Acting Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Biden Administration will focus its opioid work on harm-reduction and drug use prevention efforts, including recovery and treatment programs, syringe exchange programs, addiction workforce expansion, drug interdiction and anti-drug trafficking actions. This is a shift from policies under the Trump Administration, which tended to reflect skepticism of the effectiveness of harm-reduction programs. LaBelle also noted that the Administration is committed to improving data collection on overdose deaths in Black, Latino and Native American communities, which experience increased overdose deaths, and endorsing “culturally competent” treatment, emphasizing “we need to make sure we have the types of prevention programs, of treatment programs that are culturally competent, because we know that one size doesn’t fit all.”
Articles & Resources
Bloomberg Law – Biden’s Opioid Focus Will Be on Treatment, Acting Drug Czar Says
McKinsey to Pay $573 Million Settlement for Opioid Work
McKinsey & Company has agreed to pay $573 million to 47 states, five territories and the District of Columbia over their role in advising opioid manufacturers on marketing opioid products and increasing opioid product sales. According to several reports, a result of the settlement includes McKinsey implementing changes to their business practices, including disclosing conflicts of interests when making future bids on state contracts, restricting their work on addictive narcotics and making all documents on their opioid work publicly available. Representatives for the states have indicated that settlement funds will be used for opioid programs focused on treatment, prevention and recovery.
Articles & Resources
The New York Times – McKinsey Settles for $573 Million Over Role in Opioid Crisis
The Wall Street Journal – McKinsey Agrees to $573 Million Settlement Over Opioid Advice
Bloomberg – McKinsey to Pay $573 Million in State Pact Over Opioid Advice
The Hill – Consulting giant McKinsey paying $573M to settle opioid case: reports
OIG Issues Report on Part D Beneficiaries’ Opioid Use and Overdose Trends During Pandemic
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a report examining trends in opioid use, opioid prescribing, opioid overdoses, and opioid treatment in Medicare Part D during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. According to a statement by OIG, from 2016 to 2019, the use of opioids in Medicare Part D declined while the use of drugs for treating opioid use disorder increased. OIG found that, during the first 8 months of 2020, approximately 222,000 beneficiaries received high amounts of opioids, a decrease of 15% from 2019. Additionally, approximately 5,000 beneficiaries per month experienced an overdose, with overdoses rising in June and July 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019. Regarding opioid treatment, OIG researchers noted that beneficiaries receiving medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorder increased compared to 2019 and that the beneficiaries receiving naloxone increased after April 2020.
Articles & Resources
OIG – Opioid Use in Medicare Part D During the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
What We Read Last Week
Several articles were published last week pertaining to the opioid epidemic, covering a variety of different components of the issue. Links to relevant articles are provided below.
Articles & Resources
BMJ – Antidepressants for musculoskeletal pain
Children’s Hospital Colorado – Enhanced Recovery Efforts for Cesarean Delivery Reduce Need for Opioids by 80%
Clinical Pain Advisor – Expert Perspective: The Opioid Crisis and COVID-19
FDA – Abuse-Deterrent Opioid Analgesics
Generations Journal – Barriers Facing Older Adults with Substance Use Disorders in Post–Acute Care Settings
Generations Journal – Help for Primary Care Practitioners in Addressing Older Adult Alcohol and Opioid Use
Generations Journal – Substance Use Disorders in Older Adults: Overview and Future Directions
Health Affairs – New Interventions To Address Substance Use Disorder Must Take Financial Sustainability Into Account
Joint Economic Committee – The Epidemic Preceding the Pandemic: Opioid Overdoses Surge Again
Law360 – FDA Says 30 Websites Shuttered Over Illegal Opioid Sales
Law360 – ‘Opioid Babies’ Can’t Get Class Certification In MDL
Law360 – Walmart Loses Bid To Short-Circuit Feds’ Opioid Suit
NPR – Opioids, COVID-19 And Racism: A Deadly Trifecta
Orthopedics Today – Study finds outpatient TJA is not a risk factor for opioid dependence
ScienceDirect – Association of opioid misuse with anxiety and depression: A systematic review of the literature
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire – Nashua Man Sentenced to 35 Months for Fentanyl Trafficking
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia – Ohio woman admits to role in drug trafficking operation
UC Irvine – Nutrition, companionship reduce pain in mice with sickle cell disease, UCI-led study finds
University of Michigan – Controlling Pain After Surgery Doesn’t Have to Mean Opioids, Study Shows
World Health Organization – WHO issues new guidelines on the management of chronic pain in children
This Week’s Calendar
In the week ahead, there are no relevant events or hearings noticed at this time. In the event that there are any changes to the schedule for this week, we will make additional information available.
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