Bill Introduced to Increase Access to Naloxone
Last week, Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI) introduced the Naloxone Education and Access Act, which would reauthorize grant funding to provide $10 million annually to help states and Tribal communities promote opioid reversal drugs, such as naloxone. Grant funding authorized under the bill would be directed towards encouraging pharmacists and providers to dispense and co-prescribe overdose reversal drugs, supporting community-based distribution programs, and developing materials to educate the public on how to administer overdose reversal drugs and where overdose reversal are available. In a statement, Senator Baldwin said, “The opioid epidemic and substance use disorder crisis continues to touch every community across the country. Along with focusing on prevention and treatment for substance use disorder, combating drug trafficking, and providing support for individuals and families impacted by this epidemic, we also must provide the life-saving drugs that reverse overdoses and poisoning. This legislation is an important step forward to give communities the tools and resources they need to save lives.”
Articles & Resources
Senator Tammy Baldwin – Senator Baldwin Introduces Legislation to Increase Access to Opioid Overdose Reversal Drugs and Save Lives
FDA Announces Multi-Agency Approach to Address Counterfeit Drugs
On September 1st, Cathy Hermsen, Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations at the Food and Administration (FDA), and Ritu Nalubola, Director of the FDA’s Europe Office, published a blog post noting the agency’s shift to a collaborative, whole-of-governments approach to stop the flow of counterfeit drugs into the United States. FDA will partner with the Organisation of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade to convene various public and private sector stakeholders, explore the current regulatory challenges, and develop potential solutions that build off lessons learned from previous global initiatives and align with a whole-of-governments approach. In their post, the authors note that “By having so many parties working together, we hope to effectively close the pipeline of illicit products that are getting through. And with the volume of illicit products growing daily, there’s no time to delay”
Articles & Resources
FDA – Using A Whole-Of-Governments Approach to Combating Illicit Health Products
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.
AHA – The Power of Opioid Prevention and Treatment Series: Measuring Opioid Stewardship
AMA – Trends on overdose deaths require specific actions, all-hands approach
Denverite – Denver experts are seeing more kids with addictions
Forensic – FDA Chief Says Long-awaited Opioid Review Still in the Works
Herald Star – Battling overdoses, stigmas within the local area an uphill battle
International Journal of Drug Policy – Has the treatment gap for opioid use disorder narrowed in the U.S.?: A yearly assessment from 2010 to 2019″
JAMA Health Forum – Trends in Out-of-Pocket Costs for Naloxone by Drug Brand and Payer in the US, 2010-2018
NC Health News – Counterfeit pills have become more prevalent in the street drug supply
Rand Corporation – Perspectives of Patients Receiving Telemedicine Services for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
Rheumatology Advisor – Patient Navigator Services May Help Reduce Opioid Consumption, Pain Scores
STAT – Fentanyl test strips could help save lives. In many states, they’re still illegal
The Tennessee Star – Ohio Spending $733 Million on Substance Abuse and Recovery Efforts
U.S. Department of Labor – Recovery for Every Worker, Every Employer
WIBC – Understanding Addiction Post-Pandemic
WNYT – Efforts ramp-up to help New Yorkers facing drug addiction
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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