Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Help Fight Prescription Drug Abuse

Two senators have reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would allow states to share information on residents' prescription drug use as way to crack down on Rx drug abuse.

The National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act, introduced by Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), would create a $95-million federal grant program to help establish or improve state-run prescription drug-monitoring programs.

The bill aims to make it possible for states to share information, while maintaining the privacy of individual patients' medical records. Nineteen states now have Rx monitoring programs, and 24 additional states are establishing similar programs, the senators said.

A companion House bill was reintroduced by Reps. Edward Whitfield (R-Ky.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). The House bill passed last session, but the Senate version was never acted upon.