Congressmen Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Tim Ryan (D-OH), today introduced the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act (H.R. 3974), which makes improvements to drug monitoring programs in an effort to reduce opioid abuse.

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Act would strengthen the role of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) by directing states that receive Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program funding to comply with specified requirements, including a mandate to share their PDMP data with other states. Further, the legislation directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award a grant to establish and maintain a data-sharing hub, and requires key parties, such as drug dispensers and practitioners, to consult and report to the PDMP database when prescribing or dispensing opioids.

“Ohio is among the top-five states with the highest rates of opioid-related overdoses, and the majority of those suffering from opioid addiction were originally prescribed painkillers by their doctors,” said Congressman Balderson. “Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs play a critical role in stopping opioid abuse, we just need to ensure prescribers and dispensers are talking to each other so folks who are suffering don’t fall through the cracks.”

“In 2012, there were more opioid prescriptions in the state of Ohio than people. No effort is too small as it relates to helping struggling families and communities get the resources they need to confront this crisis. In this broad, multi-faceted approach, prescription drug monitoring programs are an important tool to address this epidemic,” said Congressman Ryan. “That is why I’m proud to introduce the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act, which will help keep millions of patients safe who use non-opioid medication and streamline prescription drug monitoring programs across the country. This bill will also give doctors a better look at medications a patient is taking to ensure that any additional prescriptions will not adversely impact patients’ health.”

This bill is the House companion to identical legislation (S. 516) introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

BACKGROUND

Established in 2002, Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs maintain statewide electronic databases of prescriptions dispensed for controlled substances. This information can then be used by other entities to educate and inform prescribers, pharmacists, and the public; identify or prevent drug abuse and diversion; facilitate the identification of prescription drug-addicted individuals and enable intervention and treatment; and outline drug use and abuse trends to inform public health initiatives. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico have an operating PDMP. PDMPs can identify and prevent unsafe prescribing practices and doctor shopping, helping to prevent addiction before it starts.

Enhancing the PDMP so states and key parties would share opioid prescription data, 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;

• And require states to make their PDMP data available to other states.

This legislation does not authorize additional funding.