Energy & Commerce Leaders Seek Fentanyl Briefing

Leaders of the House Energy & Commerce Committee sent letters to the FDA and five other agencies asking for a briefing on the fentanyl crisis.

“As overdose deaths involving fentanyl continue to rise, we remain concerned about the impact of this epidemic on the public health, and we are committed to identifying further solutions to stop the flow of deadly illicit fentanyl into our communities,” the bipartisan letter states.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls fentanyl “the third wave” of the opioid crisis, with nearly 28,000 American deaths from fentanyl overdoses in 2017, the lawmakers note. 

The letters were signed by committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Anna Eshoo (D-Mass.)—who chairs the E&C health subcommittee—Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Brett Guthrie (R-Ky).