Empowering Pharmacists in the Fight Against Opioid Abuse Act

Empowering Pharmacists in the Fight Against Opioid Abuse Act

(Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and disseminate training programs and materials on: (1) the circumstances under which a pharmacist may refuse to fill a controlled substance prescription suspected to be fraudulent, forged, or indicative of abuse or diversion; and (2) federal requirements related to such refusal.

HHS must seek input from relevant stakeholders.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4275 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4275

   To provide for the development and dissemination of programs and 
materials for training pharmacists, health care providers, and patients 
 on indicators that a prescription is fraudulent, forged, or otherwise 
       indicative of abuse or diversion, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 7, 2017

 Mr. DeSaulnier (for himself and Mr. Carter of Georgia) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for the development and dissemination of programs and 
materials for training pharmacists, health care providers, and patients 
 on indicators that a prescription is fraudulent, forged, or otherwise 
       indicative of abuse or diversion, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Empowering Pharmacists in the Fight 
Against Opioid Abuse Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS FOR TRAINING ON CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES 
              UNDER WHICH A PHARMACIST MAY DECLINE TO FILL A 
              PRESCRIPTION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the 
Commissioner of Food and Drugs, the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, and the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health 
and Substance Use, shall develop and disseminate programs and materials 
for training pharmacists, health care providers, and patients on--
            (1) circumstances under which a pharmacist may, consistent 
        with section 201 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 
        811) and regulations thereunder, including section 1306.04 of 
        title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, decline to fill a 
        prescription for a controlled substance because the pharmacist 
        suspects the prescription is fraudulent, forged, or otherwise 
        indicative of abuse or diversion; and
            (2) any Federal requirements pertaining to declining to 
        fill a prescription under such circumstances.
    (b) Materials Included.--In developing materials under subsection 
(a), the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration shall 
include information educating--
            (1) pharmacists on how to decline to fill a prescription 
        and actions to take after declining to fill a prescription; and
            (2) other health care practitioners and the public on a 
        pharmacist's responsibility to decline to fill prescriptions in 
        certain circumstances.
    (c) Stakeholder Input.--In developing the programs and materials 
required under subsection (a), the Administrator of the Drug 
Enforcement Administration shall seek input from relevant national, 
State, and local associations, boards of pharmacy, medical societies, 
licensing boards, health care practitioners, and patients.
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