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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 12, 2022 04:46 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative MaryLouise Isaacson |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Opioid Reparation and Accountability Fund |
| According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 40 deaths a day were reported in 2020 due to overdoses from prescription opioids. This led to more than 16,000 deaths in the same year. The actions of opioid manufacturers and distributors have played a key role in the over-prescription, misuse, and abuse of dangerous opioids that has resulted in the opioid crisis. Families, communities, and Pennsylvania as a whole have paid a significant price during the opioid crisis, both in dollars and in the tragic loss of life. This year, several settlements were conducted with a number of manufacturers in the pharmaceutical industry by Attorney General Josh Shapiro. However, it is imperative that more be done to hold the pharmaceutical industry responsible. For this reason, I will be introducing legislation that would establish an opioid product registration fee and an additional assessment on large-scale opioid manufacturers. The proceeds would be directed to the Opioid Reparation and Accountability Fund, which would address the opioid epidemic through programs focused on prevention and education as well as intervention, treatment, and recovery. This legislation would not only hold these companies accountable, but it would make them a part of the solution. Please join me in working to reduce opioid addiction and save lives. |
Introduced as HB378