March 30, 2017

Manchin Introduces Legislation to Require Use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Before Prescribing Powerful Painkillers

Bill would require the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in all states that receive certain federal funding to combat opioid abuse and also require states to make their PDMP data available to other state 

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), along with Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced bipartisan legislation to require the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in all states that received certain federal funding to combat opioid abuse and also require states to make their PDMP data available to other states.

“With 91 people dying every day from an opioid overdose, it is critical that we do everything possible to combat our nation’s opioid epidemic,” Senator Manchin said. “The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act was a good first start, but more must be done. That is why I joined my colleagues in introducing the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act to ensure that medical professionals are reporting and accessing the information that they need to make medically appropriate decisions about prescribing dangerous drugs like opioids. It would also ensure that states are communicating with one another to encourage collaboration and prevent cross-border doctor shopping. Ensuring that physicians, pharmacists, and others have access to prescribing information to identify the possible abuse and misuse of prescription drugs will help us get people the help that they need and end this devastating epidemic.”   

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Act would:

  • Require drug dispensers in covered states to report to the PDMP each opioid prescription that they dispense to patients within 24 hours.
  • Require practitioners in covered states to consult the PDMP before prescribing opioids to patients.
  • Require states to actively notify practitioners when the PDMP shows that a patient exhibits patterns indicative of opioid misuse.

To ensure that PDMP data is available across state lines, the bill would also provide for the creation of an inter-state PDMP data-sharing platform and require all covered states to make their individual PDMP data available on this platform.

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