Action Alert: Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
Background:
In March 2011, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), introduced “The Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2011 (S. 507).” This legislation addresses the staggering increase in deaths and overdoses from methadone and other opioid prescription drugs. This bill is an updated version of the “Methadone Treatment and Protection Act” that Senator Rockefeller introduced in the 111th Congress.
The Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2011 would address the overall problem of unsafe use of methadone and other opioids, by calling for:
- New training requirements for health care professionals before they can be licensed to prescribe these drugs;
- Consumer education on the safe use of painkillers and preventing diversion and abuse;
- Basic clinical guidelines for safe use and dosage of pain medications including methadone;
- Increased federal support for state prescription drug monitoring programs; and
- Comprehensive reporting of opioid-related deaths to help guide solutions.
To ensure that the legislation quickly moves toward passage, additional bi-partisan co-sponsors of S. 507 are needed today!
Action Needed:
Send a letter or email to your Senator, asking him/her to to cosponsor S. 507, the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2011.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
