Rx Summit 2022 Key Takeaways eBook - 9

Representatives Tout
Importance of PDMPs,
Cracking Down on Fentanyl
Bipartisanship and collaboration were among the key
themes of addresses by US Representatives Hal Rogers
of Kentucky and David Trone of Maryland during a
plenary session at the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit in
Atlanta, Georgia.
" We can't only rely on arresting or
treating or educating our way out of this
problem, " Rogers said in regard to the
nation's addiction crisis. " We have to do
all three, all the time, for a long time.
We must work together bringing our
experience to the table to solve the crisis,
and that's exactly what we are doing this
week. I, and my colleagues, will champion
your work back in Washington on the Hill.
... Your dedication is ultimately what will
stop this scourge and save lives. "
Rogers supported the use of prescription
drug monitoring programs (PDMPs),
which have been a topic of discussion
since the first Rx Summit in 2012 and are
now established in all 50 states after the
launch of Missouri's in June 2021.
PDMPs are a critical tool for helping
doctors communicate with each other
and law enforcement to stop the practice
of " doctor shopping, " Rogers said.
The next frontier for PDMPs, he added,
will be improving interstate efficiency
and making their usage mandatory for
all prescribers. Currently, just 35% of
prescribers use PDMPs in states where
their usage is not mandated, Rogers said.
Both Rogers and Trone discussed the
increasing threat of fentanyl, which is now
causing a surge in deaths with its presence
in counterfeit prescription medications.
About four in 10 pills seized by the Drug
Enforcement Administration now
contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, and
" unfortunately, [most users] don't realize
it until it's too late, " Rogers said.
Trone shared details of a collaboration
between seven government agencies to
study synthetic opioid trafficking. After
more than a year of investigation, the
bipartisan group put together a list of 76
regulatory and legislative initiatives to
pursue.
The need for action is urgent, as lethal
quantities of fentanyl can be smuggled
into the US across its southern border in
small passenger vehicles, and bad batches
are now popping up across the nation,
Trone said. Meanwhile, after a reported 1
million individuals have died by overdose
since 1999, Trone shared that researchers
at Stanford University project that another
1.2 million lives will be lost to overdoses
between 2020 and 2030, based on current
trends.
" This is a chance right here where we can
give back, move the needle, and have a
mission, " Trone said. " The mission is clear.
The numbers are disturbing. We have to
work as a team. "
U.S. Congressman Hal
Rogers, Kentucky's 5th
Congressional District
reference Rogers H, Trone D. Plenary. Presented at: Rx and Illicit Drug Summit; April 18-21, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia.
key takeaways from rx summit 2022
rx-summit.com 9

http://www.rx-summit.com

Rx Summit 2022 Key Takeaways eBook

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rx Summit 2022 Key Takeaways eBook