Congress is hyping up its opioid bills. But there’s not much to hype. (Vox)
If you hear members of Congress tell it, this is really the moment that federal lawmakers are taking the opioid epidemic seriously. Over the next two days, the House is holding hearings on more than 20 bills to confront the opioid crisis — which Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), who’s overseeing the hearings, described as “really digging in so we can deliver relief for those devastated by this crisis.”
The bills, based on what experts have told me, seem to be generally positive — taking a mostly public health approach to addressing the opioid crisis. They’re very varied: Some aim to improve access to treatment, including highly effective medications for opioid addiction such as methadone and buprenorphine. Others push federal agencies to better regulate opioid painkillers and seek out non-opioid alternatives to pain treatment. Several try to improve education and awareness of opioid-related problems.
“Many of these policies seem to be tinkering around the edges,” Dr. Leana Wen, the health commissioner of Baltimore, told me. “It’s not that they’re not helpful in some way,” she added. But what officials on the ground feel that they need is “sustained, specific funding” and bolder, more sweeping guidance that will help build up long-term solutions.
For example, one of the more promising measures that the House is considering would help hospitals set up discharge protocols for patients who come in after an opioid overdose — to help connect such patients with addiction treatment and other services as they’re let out of the hospital.