Health Care — Presented by Otsuka — Biden backs GOP fentanyl bill

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View Online Health Care Health Care   PRESENTED BY   The Big Story  Biden administration endorses GOP-led fentanyl bill The White House on Monday put its weight behind a bill introduced by two House Republicans that would increase the penalties for trafficking fentanyl. © AP The Biden administration called on Congress to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, introduced by GOP Reps. Morgan Griffith (Va.) and Bob Latta (Ohio), saying it was "critical" to combatting the supply of fentanyl-related substances coming into the U.S.   The bill would permanently schedule all fentanyl-related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Fentanyl-related substances have been temporarily scheduled as Schedule I since 2018, with this designation set to expire at the end of 2024.   That change has long been a Biden administration goal. In September of 2021, the White House issued a recommendation to Congress to permanently place these substances into Schedule I, as it noted in a statement issued on Monday.    "The Administration calls on Congress to pass all of these critical measures to improve public safety and save lives," said the statement of administration policy.    The House Energy & Commerce Committee has warned that if the scheduling order expires, then fentanyl related substances would essentially become street-legal and authorities would lose the ability to seize these drugs.   Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. As a street drug, it's commonly mixed with other substances like heroin and cocaine, with many users unaware that they're ingesting fentanyl.   Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month found that overdose deaths involving fentanyl spiked between 2016 and 2021, going from 5.7 per 100,000 standard population to 21.6 per 100,000. Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Florida health care providers are pausing gender-affirming care for adults Health care organizations including Planned Parenthood are suspending gender-affirming medical care in Florida to comply with a new state law that bans transition-related care for transgender minors and places heavy restrictions on care for adults. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is expected to enter the 2024 presidential race next week, on Wednesday signed legislation immediately prohibiting health care professionals from administering puberty blockers...  Full Story Drug price caps in Inflation Reduction Act exacerbating shortages, Gottlieb says Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said on Sunday that drug price caps in the Inflation Reduction Act are exacerbating drug shortages. "The features under the Inflation Reduction Act will exacerbate this problem, because it’ll prevent these generic manufacturers from being able to take price increases," Gottlieb, who now serves on the board of Pfizer, told CBS' "Face the Nation."  …  Full Story Abortion battles fuel push against ballot measures After a string of defeats at the ballot in red and purple states in the 2022 election, a growing number of GOP-controlled state legislatures and anti-abortion groups are pushing back. They are working to restrict or even ban citizen-led ballot initiatives, which have been used by progressive groups to bypass conservative lawmakers. Some of the proposals set new requirements for signature gathering, making it more difficult …  Full Story On Our Radar  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: Congress's close inspection of PBMs continues next week with the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability holding a hearing on Tuesday. The Veterans' Affairs Committee on Tuesday will look into whether supplemental COVID funding improved veteran care. The Hill event  Cancer Care Access & Equity: Breaking Barriers to Innovation, June 8, 2-3:00 p.m. ET We live in a groundbreaking era of innovation in oncology, yet cancer continues to be the second leading cause of death in the United States. What obstacles stand in the way of optimal cancer care? How can we increase cancer screenings, advance research, modernize detection and treatment systems and drive innovation while removing barriers to access and affordability? And what role do social determinants of health, like geography and race, play in keeping patients from specialized, life-saving care, and how do we eliminate these disparities?     The Hill will bring together policymakers, health experts and patient advocates to discuss the changes to the cancer care delivery system, with the following speakers: Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY), Co-Chair of the Cancer Caucus and member of the House Ways & Means Committee; Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Co-Chair of the Cancer Caucus and Senior Member of the House Ways & Means Committee; and Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society Click here to RSVP In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Nebraska governor signs 12-week abortion ban, limits on gender-affirming care for minors LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signed a bill Monday that bans abortion at 12 weeks of pregnancy and restricts gender-affirming medical care for people younger than 19. The abortion ban takes effect immediately, while the ban on gender-affirming care takes effect on Oct. 1. The hybrid measure ties together restrictions … Full Story A MESSAGE FROM OTSUKA We hold a deep respect for the value of every mind. At Otsuka, we will not rest until mental illnesses and brain diseases are approached with the same priority and urgency as our physical health. Discover our commitment to health for every mind.   Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on health care: West Virginia state health officer acknowledges "long-term exposure" PFAS issue after testing reveal drinking water detections (The Herald-Dispatch) California's fentanyl problem is getting worse. Nobody is sure what to do (San Francisco Chronicle) Once 'paradise,' parched Colorado valley grapples with arsenic in water (NPR) What We're Reading  Health news we've flagged from other outlets: A striking gap between deaths of Black and White babies plagues the South (KFF Health News) If bird flu starts to spread among people, existing vaccines may be inadequate, experts say (NBC News) Scientists discover brain signals for chronic pain (The Guardian) What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: McCarthy has little room to maneuver in debt ceiling talks Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was narrowly elected Speaker in January after 15 ballots, is coming under heavy pressure from conservatives … Read more White House threatens to veto GOP measure blocking student loan debt relief program The White House on Monday threatened to veto a Republican-led bill in the House that would block the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness … Read more What People Think  Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: If memory serves: The question of cognitive function in an aging Congress The NIH must address disparities in women's health research funding   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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