Manchin Introduces Legislation to Require Use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs

Press Release

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today, along with Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Angus King (I-ME), introduced the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act to require the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in all states that receive certain federal funding to combat opioid abuse and also requires states to make their PDMP data available to other states. The introduction of this bill comes on the day the Senate is poised to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which will help combat the opioid epidemic nationwide, but lacks the robust funding that is so desperately needed to support these critical programs and treatment centers.

"The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act is a solid start in launching a broad effort to combat our nation's opioid epidemic," Senator Manchin said. "But we must take additional steps to ensure that the federal government's approach to this epidemic is as comprehensive as possible. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Act goes a step beyond CARA to ensure that states are sufficiently monitoring the prescription drugs within their borders and are communicating with one another to encourage collaboration. This is a crucial step towards establishing a comprehensive approach for putting an end to the opioid epidemic."

Source