Let's Start a Workgroup to Solve Prescription Drug Abuse (H.R. 4709)

What is H.R. 4709?

(Updated July 18, 2017)

This bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to put together a report "assessing how patient access to medications could be adversely impacted by Federal and State law enforcement activities," and identify "how collaboration between [drug enforcement] agencies and stakeholders can benefit patients and prevent diversion and abuse of controlled substances." The report will incorporate feedback from a workgroup comprised of 

(1) Patient groups. (2) Pharmacies. (3) Manufacturers of drugs. (4) Common or contract carriers and warehousemen. (5) Hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers. (6) State attorneys general. (7) Law enforcement officials, including local law enforcement officials. (8) Health benefit plans and entities that provide pharmacy benefit management services on behalf of a health benefit plan. (9) Wholesale drug distributors.

Argument in favor

Would help prevent prescription drug abuse, establish clear and consistent enforcement standards, and ensure patients have access to needed medications by promoting collaboration between government agencies, patients, and industry stakeholders.

Argument opposed

Legislation written by drug lobbyists that has much more to do with making sure stock prices of drug manufacturing companies don't fall than it does with solving the ever-increasing problem of prescription drug abuse. Do-nothing legislation.

Impact

The bill impacts shareholders in drug manufacturing companies, U.S. prescription drug abuse, and the Controlled Substances Act.

Cost of H.R. 4709

A CBO cost is currently unavailable.

Additional Info

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