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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 15, 2019 04:19 PM |
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| From: | Representative MaryLouise Isaacson |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Opiate Reparation and Accountability Fund |
| According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 130 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. More than 70,000 people died of drug overdoses in 2017, and around two-thirds of those deaths were linked to opioids. While these deaths are increasingly linked to illicit opioids like heroin and fentanyl, the rise in opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose originally began with the proliferation and overprescribing of prescription painkillers. The actions of opioid manufacturers and distributors played a key role in the over-prescription, misuse and abuse of dangerous opioids that resulted in an opioid crisis. However, while families, communities and the Commonwealth as a whole have paid significant prices during the opioid crisis, both in dollars and in the tragic loss of life, the pharmaceutical industry has yet to pay any price. That is why I will be introducing legislation that would require opioid companies to bear part of the cost and be held accountable for the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. This legislation would establish an opioid product registration fee and an additional assessment on large-scale opiate manufacturers. The proceeds would be directed to the opiate reparation and accountability fund which would address the opioid epidemic through programs focused on prevention and education as well as intervention, treatment, and recovery. Not only would this legislation make these companies accountable, but it would make them part of the solution. Please join me in supporting this important legislation. |
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Introduced as HB2027