S. 1277 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1277 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 10, 2013 Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To establish a commission for the purpose of coordinating efforts to reduce prescription drug abuse, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Combating Prescription Drug Abuse Act. 2. Commission (a) Establishment There is established the Combating Prescription Drug Abuse Commission (referred to in this Act as the Commission). (b) Membership (1) Appointment The Commission shall be composed of 30 members. Such members shall be appointed by the Comptroller General of the United States, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General. (2) Composition The members appointed under paragraph (1) shall include an equitable balance of individuals representing health care groups and law enforcement groups, including— (A) a representative of the Drug Enforcement Administration; (B) a representative of the Food and Drug Administration; (C) a representative of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; (D) representatives of patient, advocacy, and community-based groups; (E) representatives of pharmacy, prescribers, hospitals, wholesalers, dispensers, manufacturers, and other health care groups; (F) public policy experts; (G) representatives of State attorneys general; and (H) representatives of law enforcement officials, including local law enforcement officials. (3) Date of appointment The appointments of the members of the Commission shall be made not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. (4) Co-Chairs The representative of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the representative of the Food and Drug Administration shall serve as Co-Chairs of the Commission. (5) Period of appointment; vacancies Members shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. (c) Meetings The Commission shall meet at the call of the Co-Chairs. The Commission shall meet for at least 2 public meetings, at which the Commission shall provide opportunity for public input, comment, and suggestion. (d) Duties of the commission (1) In general The Commission shall— (A) review and report to Congress on Federal initiatives with respect to efforts to prevent and reduce prescription drug abuse; (B) identify gaps and opportunities with respect to ensuring the safe use of prescription drugs with the potential for diversion and abuse; and (C) make recommendations on specific ways to reduce diversion and abuse of prescription drugs. (2) Report (A) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue a report to Congress that describes the efforts of the Commission to prevent or reduce drug diversion and abuse to ensure that patients continue to have access to medications. (B) Recommendations The report described in subparagraph (A) shall include specific recommendations for the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, and other Federal and State agencies, as appropriate, and shall include the following topics: (i) Systems for prescription drug monitoring, which shall include proposals to increase the use and sustainability of prescription drug monitoring programs. (ii) Illegal Internet prescription drug sites and pill mills that distribute prescription drugs and fill prescriptions inappropriately. (iii) Facilitating proper disposal of prescription drugs, including public outreach and education efforts with respect to such proper disposal. (iv) Identifying active areas of prescription drug abuse. (v) Improving collaboration among Federal agencies, especially the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration. (vi) Improving collaboration between Federal agencies and relevant stakeholders, including the groups represented on the Commission. (vii) The resource needs for law enforcement. (viii) Proposals to improve the education of providers, patients, parents, and youth. (ix) Development of abuse-resistant products. (x) Recommendations for reducing robberies, burglaries, and cargo theft. (e) Powers of the Commission (1) Hearings The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out this section. (2) Information from Federal agencies The Commission may secure directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the Commission considers necessary to carry out this section. Upon the request of the Co-Chairs of the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission in a timely manner. (f) Confidentiality Information obtained by the Commission from any Federal agency shall be exempt from disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States Code. For purposes of the preceding sentence, this subsection shall be considered a statute described in subsection (b)(3)(B) of such section 552. (g) Termination of the commission The Commission shall terminate 2 years after the date on which the members are appointed under subsection (b). (h) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There is authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal years 2014 through 2016 to the Commission to carry out this section. (2) Limitation on use of funds No funds appropriated under paragraph (1) may be used to carry out the recommendations of the Commission.