Bipartisan Legislation Would Establish Prescription Safety Alert System to Address Opioid Abuse

Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) introduced bipartisan legislation that would create a nationwide prescription safety alert system aimed at giving pharmacists a new tool to protect patients from overusing opioids.

The bill, cosponsored by Barbara Comstock (R-VA) and Ann Kuster (D-N.H.), would require HHS, in conjunction with the private sector, to establish a system that analyzes transaction data generated from filled prescriptions and provide real-time feedback to pharmacists.

The tool would send pharmacists an alert whenever a patient might be doctor-shopping to feed an opioid addiction or when they are at risk of overuse based on prescription history.

“By giving pharmacists, insurance companies, and programs like Medicare a new tool to understand the data they already have, we can help prevent further harm,” MacArthur said.