A RESOLUTION

 

1Establishing the task force on opioid prescription drug
2proliferation and its impact on heroin use in this
3Commonwealth; and creating an advisory committee.

4WHEREAS, The United States makes up 4.5% of the world's
5population; and

6WHEREAS, The United States consumes 80% of the opioid
7prescription drugs; and

8WHEREAS, The human suffering associated with addiction for
9affected families has now reached epidemic proportions; and

10WHEREAS, Criminal court dockets are crowded with people who
11are living with an addiction to prescription drugs; and

12WHEREAS, The death toll is surging from opioid prescription
13drug overdoses; and

14WHEREAS, Those who become addicted to prescription drugs,
15left untreated, tend to shift to abusing heroin, and this has
16resulted in a huge increase in heroin use across this
17Commonwealth; and

1WHEREAS, The proliferation of opioid prescription drug abuse
2has become a crisis; therefore be it

3RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
4State Government Commission to establish a task force on opioid
5prescription drug proliferation; and be it further

6RESOLVED, That the task force consist of four members
7appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, two
8appointed in consultation with the Majority Leader and two
9appointed in consultation with the Minority Leader; and be it
10further

11RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission create
12an advisory committee, including, but not limited to, the
13following individuals:

14(1) A representative recommended by the Department of
15Drug and Alcohol Programs.

16(2) A representative recommended by the Department of
17Public Welfare.

18(3) A representative recommended by the Insurance
19Department.

20(4) A physician recommended by the Department of Health.

21(5) A representative recommended by the State Board of
22Pharmacy.

23(6) A representative recommended by the Attorney
24General.

25(7) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
26Fraternal Order of Police.

27(8) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
28Athletic Oversight Committee.

29(9) Two physicians recommended by the Pennsylvania
30Medical Society, one of whom holds membership in the American

1Society of Addiction Medicine and the other who is a
2physician with expertise in chronic pain management and
3treatment.

4(10) A physician who is a member of the Pennsylvania
5Psychiatric Society specializing in addiction psychiatry.

6(11) A representative recommended by the Drug and
7Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania.

8(12) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
9Recovery Organizations Alliance.

10(13) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
11Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence.

12(14) A representative recommended by a manufacturer of
13opioid drugs.

14(15) A wholesale distributor representative recommended
15by the Healthcare Distribution Management Association.

16(16) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
17District Attorneys Association.

18(17) The Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police or
19his designee.

20(18) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
21Coroners Association.

22(19) A representative of chronic pain patients
23recommended by a physician with expertise in chronic pain
24management.

25(20) A representative of pharmacies recommended by the
26Pennsylvania Association of Chain Drug Stores.

27(21) A representative of pharmacists recommended by the
28Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association.

29(22) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
30State Nurses Association.

1(23) A representative recommended by the Pennsylvania
2Osteopathic Medical Association<-;.<-

3(24) A representative recommended by the American Cancer
4Society.

5(25) A representative of a national nonprofit with the
6mission of developing solutions to prescription drug
7diversion.

8(26) A representative of a national nonprofit with the
9mission to connect, inform and educate those living with
10pain.

11(27) A representative of a health system pharmacy
12recommended by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of
13Pennsylvania.

14(28) A representative of a recovery support initiative
15recommended by the Pennsylvania Recovery Organization-
16Achieving Community Together;

17and be it further

<-18RESOLVED, That as a first order of business, the Joint State
19Government Commission be directed to recommend guidelines for
20prescribers which shall be submitted within 60 days of the
21formation of the advisory committee; and be it further

22RESOLVED, That the advisory committee examine existing laws
23relative to the prescribing and dispensing of prescription
24opioid drugs; and be it further

25RESOLVED, That the advisory committee gather facts from
26existing public hearings that have been held by legislative
27committees; and be it further

28RESOLVED, That the advisory committee accept and review any
29briefs or comments submitted by any stakeholders; and be it
30further

1RESOLVED, That parents, siblings or family members who have
2lost loved ones are welcome to submit their testimony for the
3record; and be it further

4RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee make a
5report to the General Assembly with suggested changes to current
6State laws and regulations that will provide for safer and more
7effective pain management practices, ensure that pain management
8practitioners are sufficiently trained in identifying addiction
9and referring addicted patients to appropriate care and help
10combat the proliferation of misuse and abuse of opioid
11prescription drugs within one year of the adoption of this
12resolution.