Senate Appropriators Release Draft FY23 Bills
On July 28th, Senate Appropriators released drafts of all twelve of the FY2023 appropriations funding bills. The package includes increases in funding for several initiatives that support resources for substance use and the opioid epidemic, including:
- $2.4 billion for the Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Block Grant;
- $2.025 billion State Opioid Response Grants;
- $662.8 million for opioid prevention and treatment programs at Veterans Affairs;
- $631 million in dedicated grant program funding in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill to respond to substance use disorder, including opioids, and drug trafficking;
- $140 million for the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative; and
- $25 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Recovery Housing Program to provide housing for individuals in recovery from a substance-use disorder.
CEPOP will continue to track the progress of these bills.
Articles & Resources
Senate Committee on Appropriations – Chairman Leahy Releases Fiscal Year 2023 Senate Appropriations Bills
Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Address Access to Treatment, Drug Trafficking, and Opioids Approvals
Last week, lawmakers introduced several bills to address the opioid epidemic, including bills that increase access to opioid use disorder treatment for those enrolled in the Medicare program, support efforts to detect and seize fentanyl, and amend the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opioids approval process. On July 27th, Senators Susan Collins (ME) and Ben Cardin (MD) introduced the Supporting Seniors with Opioid Use Disorder Act of 2022. The bill would require that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services conduct increased outreach to Medicare beneficiaries about the available coverage for opioid use disorder treatment and provide the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration with data on the number of Medicaid beneficiaries diagnosed with opioid use disorder, the number receiving treatment, and the areas that remain underserved. Also on July 27th, Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Josh Hawley (MO) introduced the Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act, which would require that the Department of the Homeland Security (DHS) establish public-private partnerships to support early detection of illicit drugs, develop additional ways to test for fentanyl, and develop a study examining ways DHS can improve their collection and analysis of drug seizure data.
On July 28th, Representatives David Trone (MD) and Dan Meuser (PA) introduced the Ensuring the FDA Fully Examines Clinical Trial Impact and Vitalness before Endorsement (EFFECTIVE) Act, which would provide FDA with authority to review the public health impacts of opioid approvals and deny new drug applications for opioid analgesics if the product is not clinically superior to other commercially available products. The bill was developed in response to requests by FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf to provide the agency with additional legal authority to implement recommendations outlined by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in their 2017 report, Pain Management and the Opioid Epidemic. Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and Mike Braun (IN) introduced companion legislation in May.
Articles & Resources
Supporting Seniors with Opioid Use Disorder Act of 2022
Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act
What We Read Last Week
Several articles were published last week pertaining to the opioid epidemic, covering a variety of different components of the topic. Links to relevant articles are provided below.
AHCJ – As opioid settlement money comes in, experts say journalists must demand accountability
Associated Press – FDA chief’s long-promised opioid review faces skepticism
Bloomberg Government – Senate HELP: Fighting the Fentanyl Crisis
Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill – Reps. Sherrill, Trone Highlight HHS Grant Coming to Tonix Pharmaceuticals for Drug Overdose Treatment Research
Department of Justice – Federal Court Orders Clinic to Close, Physician and Clinic Owners to Pay $600,000 for Alleged Unlawful Opioid Distribution
Healio – Substance misuse deaths up 20% in 2020 – highest ever, report finds
New Hampshire Department of Justice – New Hampshire Sues Pharmacies for Overly Dispensing Opioids
New York Times – Biden’s Drug Czar Is Leading the Charge for a ‘Harm Reduction’ Approach
Psychiatric News – FDA Commissioner Talks Opioid Crisis, Health Disparities, AI Risks
Rand Corporation – How Much Illegally Manufactured Fentanyl Could the U.S. Be Consuming?
Senator John Kennedy – Kennedy receives Senator of the Year award from National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition
Senator Patty Murray – Senator Murray Pushes to Strengthen Federal Response to Fentanyl Crisis
STAT – Buprenorphine treatment for veterans with opioid use disorder increased as care shifted to telehealth during Covid, study finds
STAT – Demanding more impact from impact litigation: lessons to be learned from multi-state opioid settlements
The Economist – Changes in Buprenorphine and Methadone Supplies in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Hill – Congress must close Medicare gaps in access to non-drug pain management
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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