Today at a public hearing in Hartford State Representatives Dan Carter (R-2) advocated in favor of their bill to help prevent prescription drug abuse.
The bill, HB 5484, requires the written consent of a physician in order to use a generic substitution for any drug designed in a tamper-resistant formulation.
If made law, the regulation would prevent pharmacists and insurance companies from replacing the prescribed name brand drug with a generic that is easier to be altered and ingested by drug addicts.
“This proposal will significantly reduce the abuse potential for drugs that are highly addictive, dangerous, and often fuel the substance abuse problem in this country,” said Rep. Carter, the Ranking Member of the General Law Committee which oversees matters of consumer protection. “We must take steps to ensure providers have the choice to prescribe tamper resistant formulations and prevent risks to public health and safety. This policy is a common sense solution and would be an effective abuse deterrent for substance abuse.”
Currently the only tamper resistant drugs available are name brand.
Before progressing in the legislative process, the bill will now be considered by the General Law Committee. The 2013 Legislative Session will adjourn on June 5, 2013.
