Administration issues plan to reduce prescription drug abuse

The White House, Department of Health and Human Services, and Drug Enforcement Administration on April 19 released a national plan to reduce prescription drug abuse, which officials called “an epidemic.” In addition, the Food and Drug Administration announced a program that will require manufacturers of long-acting and extended-release opioids to provide educational programs to prescribers and materials they can use when counseling patients about the risks and benefits of opioid use. The national plan calls for expanding state-based prescription drug monitoring programs, requiring prescribers of controlled substances to be trained in responsible prescribing practices, and improving disposal methods for unused medications in the home, among other actions.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy plans to convene a federal council to coordinate the plan’s implementation.