Skip to main content

Sarbanes Spearheads Federal Fight to Help Prevent Opioid Overdose Deaths

October 20, 2015

Energy & Commerce Committee Holds Hearing on Sarbanes’ Bill That Would Expand Access to Overdose Antidotes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bill introduced by Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) to address the nation's epidemic of opioid overdose deaths was the subject of a Health Subcommittee hearing today on solutions for opioid addiction and overdose. The Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act (H.R. 3680) would give patients at risk of addiction and overdose better access to lifesaving overdose reversal drugs.

During the subcommittee hearing, lawmakers introduced several pieces of bipartisan legislation designed to tackle the growing threat of drug abuse in America. This included efforts to increase the distribution of overdose antidotes, to improve treatment and access to care for opioid addiction and to help stop the sale of deadly synthetic drugs.

H.R. 3680 would encourage and train health care providers to prescribe overdose reversal drugs, such as Naloxone, when they prescribe common opioids – like pain medication – to patients at risk of addiction. Already, communities with these kinds co-prescription programs in place – like one administered by the San Francisco Public Health Department – have successfully slowed the growth of overdose deaths. The Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act would enable more health care providers across the country to implement these kinds of lifesaving co-prescription programs.

"The increase in opioid overdoses is a national crisis that cuts too many lives short and tears too many families apart," said Congressman Sarbanes. "Holding this hearing is a positive step in addressing our nation's overdose epidemic. The solutions put forward here today, like the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act, would expand access to lifesaving treatment for thousands of Americans and their families."

H.R. 3680 is supported by the American Medical Association, the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the Harm Reduction Coalition.

To watch highlights of the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, click here.

For a full video of the hearing, see here: Part 1 | Part 2.

For more information about the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act, click here.

Issues:Health Care