BIO Applauds Senate Passage of
Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018
“It’s Time to Unleash the Power of Innovation to Help Solve this Epidemic,” Greenwood says.
Washington, DC (September 17, 2018) – BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood issued the following statement today regarding Senate passage of S. 2680, the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018:
“BIO’s member companies are committed to unleashing the power of scientific innovation to develop solutions that will lead to an America free of prescription opioid addiction. Today’s vote advances vital legislation that will help get new innovations to patients suffering from pain and addiction, by ensuring that our research and regulatory environments keep pace with our accelerating scientific knowledge and capabilities.
“In particular, the bill would allow the National Institutes of Health to more quickly and efficiently distribute funds for promising research during a public health threat, like the current opioid crisis.
“Further, the bill would require the Food and Drug Administration to work with experts in the field to break down current regulatory barriers and provide clear guidance on how the use of innovative clinical trial designs, real-world evidence, and patient experience and opioid sparing data can expedite the development and approval of innovative pain and addiction treatments.
“I applaud Senate HELP Committee Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, as well as Senators Bennet, Donnelly, Hatch, Heller, Isakson, Menendez, and Young, who have worked in a spirit of tireless bipartisan cooperation to put our country on the path to a future that is free from the scourge of opioid abuse and addiction.
“We hope that in the coming days Congress will build on today’s progress by advancing the separate Opioid Addiction Action Plan Act, championed by Senators Heller, Menendez, and Isakson, which would direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to improve timely patient access to the most effective treatments for pain and addiction.”
