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Opioid Litigation Media Update
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Trump declares opioids from Mexico, China 'almost a form of warfare,' tells Sessions to sue drug makers
Aug 16, 2018 | Fox News
By Gregg Re
Calling opioids coming into the U.S. from China and Mexico "almost a form of warfare," President Trump on Thursday urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate foreign sources of fentanyl that he said are "killing our people." -
Trump lashes out at China, Mexico for role in opioid crisis
Aug 16, 2018 | NY Post
By Bob Fredericks
President Trump lashed out Thursday at China and Mexico for illegal opioids entering the US from the two countries — and called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to file a federal lawsuit against unnamed pharmaceutical companies that make them. -
Trump urges federal lawsuit against opioid manufacturers
Aug 16, 2018 | Washington Examiner
By Melissa Quinn
President Trump said Thursday he wants the Justice Department to bring a federal lawsuit against drug manufacturers who have contributed to the opioid crisis and urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to examine the flow of the drugs coming from China and Mexico. -
Trump floats idea of federal opioids lawsuit
Aug 16, 2018 | Washington Times
By Tom Howell Jr.
President Trump on Thursday hinted he wants the Justice Department to file its own lawsuit against certain opioid companies, instead of just cheering on efforts by the states. -
Once Dry Discussions, Cabinet Meetings Are Now Part of the Trump Show
Aug 16, 2018 | New York Times
By Julie Hirschfeld Davis
President Trump’s cabinet meeting on Thursday began with him calling the vaunted Queen of Soul a former employee. It ended with him musing that things were looking up for American farmers who have been stung by the effects of his trade war. -
First Look (Broadcast)
Aug 17, 2018 | National Programming
By MSNBC
video link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/c911a45e-0f08-4990-a898-9c93f773650c?token=ca5a4332-25e8-494a-92cc-12656373612d -
Squawk Box (Broadcast)
Aug 17, 2018 | National Programming
By CNBC
video link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/5ee68f71-0a7f-4e85-bacd-a25e4b4daa10?token=ca5a4332-25e8-494a-92cc-12656373612d -
DEA Wants More Marijuana Grown And Fewer Opioids Produced In 2019. Really.
Aug 16, 2018 | Forbes
By Tom Angell
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) isn't exactly known as big fan of marijuana. But in a new Federal Register filing set to be published soon, the anti-drug agency is moving to more than quintuple the amount of cannabis that can legally be grown in the U.S. for research purposes—from roughly 1,000 pounds in 2018 to more than 5,4000 pounds next year. -
DOJ, DEA Seek 10% Reduction in Opioid Manufacturing
Aug 16, 2018 | Regulatory Focus
By Zachary Brennan
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Thursday announced they are seeking a 10% reduction in manufacturing for the six frequently misused opioids for 2019. -
East Texas U.S. Attorney Supports Justice Department’s Opioid Reduction Plan
Aug 16, 2018 | KFDM (TX)
By Darrien Graves
The eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown touted today’s announcement from the Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposing a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year.
President Trump Cabinet Statements
DEA Announcement
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Aug 16, 2018 | Fox News
By Gregg Re
Calling opioids coming into the U.S. from China and Mexico "almost a form of warfare," President Trump on Thursday urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate foreign sources of fentanyl that he said are "killing our people."
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Trump also took the unusual step of urging Sessions to file a "major" new lawsuit against opioid suppliers and manufacturers, rather than join existing lawsuits filed by states affected by the spread of the highly addictive, deadly drugs.
“It’s almost a form of warfare,” Trump said, referring to the drugs he called "garbage" that are flowing into the country. "I’d be very firm on that. It’s a disgrace and we can stop it.”
Trump added: "I'd also like to ask you to bring a major lawsuit against the drug companies on opioids. Some states have done it, but I'd like a lawsuit to be brought against these companies that are really sending opioids at a level that -- it really shouldn't be happening. ... People go into a hospital with a broken arm, they come out, they're a drug addict."
More than 1,000 lawsuits by more than a dozen states have already been filed nationwide against distributors and manufacturers in recent months amid the opioid epidemic.
Earlier this week, New York sued the maker of the prescription opioid painkiller OxyContin, saying Purdue Pharma has misled both patients and doctors about the dangers of their drug.
In June, Massachusetts also sued Purdue and its executives, accusing the company of fueling the deadly drug abuse crisis by spinning a “web of illegal deceit” to boost profits.
The lawsuit, which the state's attorney general said was the first to call out the names of company executives in connection with opioid deaths, came as Purdue was already defending against lawsuits from several other states and local governments.
Other companies involved in litigation with states include manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceuticals, as well as distributors. The suits generally involve claims that the drug makers have improperly downplayed the addictive qualities of their drugs, and that distributors have negligently handled their shipments.
Sessions said he would comply with the president's requests.
"We absolutely will," Sessions said Thursday. "We are returning indictments now against distributors from China; we've identified certain companies that are moving drugs from China, fentanyl in particular. We have confronted China about it ... Most of it is going to Mexico and then crossing the border, unlawfully, from Mexico."
There were no signs of tension in the room, even though the attorney general has been a target of Trump's ire in recent days. On Saturday, Trump called Sessions "scared stiff and missing in action," amid his ongoing frustration with the Russia probe and related inquiries.
Last October, the White House declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency, and the Trump administration has since taken steps to combat the national problem.
Trump's plan, which he discussed in March, includes harsher penalties for drug traffickersand lowering the amount of drugs needed to trigger mandatory minimum sentences for dealers. The president specifically asked the DOJ to pursue more death penalty cases against drug traffickers, and also pushed for more federal support for medications that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
Last year, Trump reportedly praised Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for his government's violent crackdown on drug users, saying he has done an "unbelievable job on the drug problem." Human Rights organizations have reported that more than 10,000 people have been killed as part of the Duterte's efforts to halt the spread of lethal narcotics in the country, which observers say has proceeded without regard for due process rights.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 115 Americans die daily from opioid-involved deaths. Opioids, including prescriptions and heroin, killed 42,000 people in the U.S. in 2016.
Overall drug overdose deaths in 2017 increased to 72,000, up nearly 6,000 from 2016. Preliminary data from 2018, however, suggested that the numbers may be trending downward in the wake of the Trump administration's efforts to curb the epidemic.
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Trump lashes out at China, Mexico for role in opioid crisis
Aug 16, 2018 | NY Post
By Bob Fredericks
President Trump lashed out Thursday at China and Mexico for illegal opioids entering the US from the two countries — and called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to file a federal lawsuit against unnamed pharmaceutical companies that make them.
China and Mexico, the president said, are “sending their garbage and killing our people. It’s almost a form of warfare.”
Trump then asked Sessions to bring a federal lawsuit against certain companies that manufacture opioids rather than just joining state lawsuits against Big Pharma.
“I’d be very, very firm on that. It’s a disgrace and we can stop it,” Trump said.
Roughly 72,000 people in the US died of drug overdoses in 2017, most of them from opioids such as fentanyl and heroin. That’s up from about 63,000 the year before.
Trump has called the opioid crisis a national emergency, but the death toll has risen on his watch.
Several states as well as New York City have filed lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, seeking billions in damages.
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Trump urges federal lawsuit against opioid manufacturers
Aug 16, 2018 | Washington Examiner
By Melissa Quinn
President Trump said Thursday he wants the Justice Department to bring a federal lawsuit against drug manufacturers who have contributed to the opioid crisis and urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to examine the flow of the drugs coming from China and Mexico.
The two countries, Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday, are “sending their garbage and killing our people.” He specifically noted the flow of fentanyl coming from China and Mexico and urged Sessions to do whatever he can “from a legal standpoint.”
“It’s almost a form of warfare,” the president said.
Sessions told Trump the Justice Department is returning indictments against distributors from China and has identified specific companies moving fentanyl.
“We have not achieved as much advantage as we would like,” the attorney general said. “Most of it is going to Mexico and then crossing the border, unlawfully, from Mexico. We're going to work on that.”
Sessions announced in February the Justice Department would support plaintiffs in an opioids lawsuit pending in federal court in Ohio. The lawsuit consolidated 400 complaints filed by state and local governments and Native American tribes across the country who sued opioid manufacturers and distributors.
But Trump said he does not want the Justice Department to solely join existing lawsuits against opioid companies, but rather sue on its own.
“Some states have done it, but I would like a lawsuit to be brought against these companies that are really sending opioids at a level that it shouldn’t be happening,” Trump said.
Sessions told the president the Justice Department is continuing to explore "various different legal avenues to go after abusive companies."
In October, Trump declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency and instructed federal agencies to devote money and resources to fighting the epidemic.
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Trump floats idea of federal opioids lawsuit
Aug 16, 2018 | Washington Times
By Tom Howell Jr.
President Trump on Thursday hinted he wants the Justice Department to file its own lawsuit against certain opioid companies, instead of just cheering on efforts by the states.
He floated the idea to Attorney General Jeff Sessions during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
More than half of the states have joined hundreds of cities, tribes and counties in suing opioid makers and distributors, saying they fueled the U.S. overdose crisis by downplaying the addictive nature of their products or flooding small communities with pain pills.
The Justice Department sought permission to participate in settlement talks being managed by a federal judge in Ohio, though Mr. Trump’s comment suggests he’d like to see a federal suit, too.
Mr. Trump also reiterated his concern about opioids pouring in from China and smuggling routes from Mexico, saying both places were “sending their garbage and killing our people.”
“It’s almost a form of warfare,” he said, prompting agreement from Mr. Sessions.
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Once Dry Discussions, Cabinet Meetings Are Now Part of the Trump Show
Aug 16, 2018 | New York Times
By Julie Hirschfeld Davis
President Trump’s cabinet meeting on Thursday began with him calling the vaunted Queen of Soul a former employee. It ended with him musing that things were looking up for American farmers who have been stung by the effects of his trade war.
In between, the president called on his top economic adviser to publicly share his “very beautiful” assessment of the economy, and said Mexico and China were waging a form of war against the United States by exporting drugs to kill Americans.
In other words, it was a normal cabinet meeting in the age of Trump. What was once considered a dry policy discussion among restrained public servants has turned into a kind of West Wing performance art, featuring a president prone to exaggeration and his advisers taking turns praising him and his policies.
By now, the ritual has become familiar, like a monthly installment of a faithfully watched reality show with a story line that has become almost comically consistent.
“Despite the horrible laws, we’re doing very well,” the president said during Thursday’s episode.
He then invited Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of homeland security, to detail all the successes the Trump administration was having in stopping migrants at the southwestern border. (She made no mention of the hundreds of migrant children still separated from their parents as a result of Mr. Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy, announced earlier this year, toward unauthorized immigrants.)
Mr. Trump spent much of the session gently quizzing his cabinet secretaries with lead-ins prodding them to offer positive comments. Past sessions have occasionally featured a sharp comment directed at an unfortunate participant on the receiving end of a televised rhetorical swipe.
On Thursday, cabinet members were largely spared the indignity. But when Mr. Trump turned to Jeff Sessions, the attorney general he likes to publicly insult, the president put the nation’s top law enforcement official on the spot with a call to bring a “major federal lawsuit” against drug companies over opioids.
“In China, you have some pretty big companies sending that garbage and killing our people,” Mr. Trump said. “It’s almost a form of warfare, and I’d like to do whatever you can do legally to stop it from China and from Mexico.”
Occasionally, Mr. Trump will overtake the agenda to publicly vent a particularly bitter grievance. His advisers shift uncomfortably in their chairs, avoiding eye contact or bracing to clean up a public-relations mess — as was the case last month when Mr. Trump used a cabinet meeting as the backdrop to attempt a halfhearted walkback of his widely criticized news conference in Helsinki, Finland, with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
Not so at Thursday’s gathering. Mr. Trump steered clear of the more controversial news of the day — including his decision to revoke the security clearance of a prominent critic and the unflattering tell-all book by a former aide — and instead began by noting the death of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul.
“I want to begin today by expressing my condolences to the family of a person I knew well,” Mr. Trump said as he opened the meeting. “She worked for me on numerous occasions. She was terrific: Aretha Franklin.”
It was not clear what the president was referring to, but Ms. Franklin did perform a handful of times at Mr. Trump’s properties during her lifetime, which was far more notable for her scores of chart-topping singles, her 18 competitive Grammy Awards, her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and her performances at the inauguration of Barack Obama and for other presidents.
In the middle of a health care update from R. Alexander Acosta, the labor secretary, Mr. Trump engaged in some wishful thinking about the repeal of the health care law enacted under Mr. Obama. “We actually got rid of Obamacare,” the president said, “except for one vote.”
The Affordable Care Act remains law, although parts of it have been rescinded or weakened; a Republican effort last summer to repeal it was thwarted most famously by Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona. Two other Republicans also voted against its repeal, as did 48 Democrats.
Mr. Trump also offered his own, inaccurate explanation — one rejected by state officials and firefighting experts — for the scourge of wildfires ravaging California. He said they were the result of water being diverted into the Pacific Ocean to save fish.
“We’re spending a fortune in California because of poor maintenance and because, frankly, they’re sending a lot of water out to the Pacific to protect the smelt,” Mr. Trump said.
He called on Ryan Zinke, the interior secretary, to repeat an argument he had made earlier in the day on television — that climate change was not to blame for the deadly blazes. “Ryan was saying it’s not a global warming thing, it’s a management situation,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Zinke obliged, blaming Canadian lumber imports — one of Mr. Trump’s favorite trade villains — for what he called displacing American-grown lumber on the market, leaving fallen trees to rot and become combustible. “So ridiculous,” Mr. Trump said with a nod.
On a day when he had tweeted that the “FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY” and as hundreds of newspapers, including The New York Times, ran editorials condemning his attacks as undermining press freedoms, Mr. Trump held out his live, 57-minute cabinet meeting as a counterpoint.
“If you’d like, you can stay,” Mr. Trump told the small group of reporters representing the White House press corps at the meeting. “Or if you’d like, you can also leave. Don’t forget: freedom of the press!”
The president did make some news of his own. At one point, he appeared to confirm a disputed account of a deal for Turkey to release an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, in exchange for Washington’s help in freeing a Turkish woman detained in Israel on charges of funding Hamas.
The Turkish woman was freed, but Mr. Brunson remains under house arrest in Turkey. The deal was reported widely, but disputed privately by some American officials, and White House and State Department officials have refused to publicly discuss it.
The president, however, was more than happy to hold forth.
“We got somebody out for him,” Mr. Trump said, apparently referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. “He needed help getting somebody out of someplace; they came out. They want to hold our wonderful pastor. Not fair. Not right.”
Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, said he was ready to impose additional sanctions on members of Mr. Erdogan’s government if Mr. Brunson was not freed quickly.
Other news Mr. Trump wanted to share was of dubious authenticity.
He asked Sonny Perdue, the agriculture secretary, how American farmers are faring. “The farmers like Trump,” the president said.
“They’re selling the corn, and they’re selling the soybean, and they’re selling everything at levels that are soon going to be pretty good levels,” Mr. Trump said. “I’m hearing it’s starting to really pick up.”
Prices for agricultural exports fell last month by the largest percentage in seven years, driven in large part by a major drop for soybeans.
Mr. Perdue pushed back a bit, but only gently.
“Obviously there are some price constraints right now,” he began. But, Mr. Perdue told the president, the farmers were keeping the faith.
“They believe what you’re doing in China, as you’ve tried to indicate to them, will lead to a better and brighter future,” Mr. Perdue said.
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Aug 17, 2018 | National Programming
By MSNBC
video link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/c911a45e-0f08-4990-a898-9c93f773650c?token=ca5a4332-25e8-494a-92cc-12656373612d
rough transcript: welcome back. president trump has asked attorney general jeff sessions to bring a major lawsuit against drug companies to combat opioid-related deaths. he called on sessions to investigate the synthetic opioid fentanyl which he described as warfare coming from china and mexico. it is the president's latest call to fight the opioid epidemic. earlier this year he pushed for a reduction in opioid prescriptions and asked for the death penalty in more cases against drug traffickers. u.s. deaths soared to over 72,000 in 2017, a record according to preliminary data released by the centers for disease control and prevention. the report also showed how much more deadly the opioids have become. there are more than 1,000 lawsuits against opioid makers and distributors filed by states and municipalities and native american tribes. The DOJ requested to join talks in those lawsuits.
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Aug 17, 2018 | National Programming
By CNBC
video link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/5ee68f71-0a7f-4e85-bacd-a25e4b4daa10?token=ca5a4332-25e8-494a-92cc-12656373612d
rough transcript: president trump said yesterday that he wants to bring a federal lawsuit against opioid makers, and not just stand behind state lawsuits that are already in play.
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DEA Wants More Marijuana Grown And Fewer Opioids Produced In 2019. Really.
Aug 16, 2018 | Forbes
By Tom Angell
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) isn't exactly known as big fan of marijuana. But in a new Federal Register filing set to be published soon, the anti-drug agency is moving to more than quintuple the amount of cannabis that can legally be grown in the U.S. for research purposes—from roughly 1,000 pounds in 2018 to more than 5,4000 pounds next year.
At the same time, DEA is also pushing to reduce the amount of certain opioid drugs—such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, fentanyl and others—that are produced in the U.S.
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon said in a press release. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a longtime opponent of marijuana legalization, added that “the opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history... Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse."
The proposed quotas for cannabis and other drugs "reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks," DEA said.
The 2,450,000 grams of marijuana the narcotics agency wants grown in the country in 2019 is a significant bump up from the 443,680 grams the agency authorized for 2018.
In addition to the huge increase in marijuana cultivation, DEA is also proposing to allow production of 384,460 grams of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) in 2019, the same amount the agency cleared for this year.
Since 1968, a farm that the University of Mississippi has maintained a monopoly on the production of cannabis that can legally be used for research in the U.S. But scientists have long complained that it is sometimes hard to get approvals to obtain marijuana from the facility and that its product is often of low quality.
In response to these concerns, DEA moved in the waning months of the Obama administration to end the monopoly and create a process for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to license additional cultivators. But while more than two dozen facilities have filed proposals to become licensed to legally grow marijuana for research, Sessions' Justice Department has blocked DEA from acting on the applications.
Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Sessions on the issue, during hearings and most recently in a letter signed last month by eight senators.
“Research and medical communities should have access to research-grade materials to answer questions around marijuana’s efficacy and potential impacts, both positive and adverse,” the lawmakers wrote. “Finalizing the review of applications for marijuana manufacturing will assist in doing just that.”
During a Senate hearing last October, Sessions said that adding new facilities that could compete with the University of Mississippi would be "healthy." Pressed again in April, he told senators that movement on the issue was expected "soon."
But no announcements on authorizing more cultivators have been made.
The DEA's huge increase in marijuana production quotas for 2019 could be a sign that it anticipates eventual approval of some of the additional grower applications, or it could just indicate that reserve stocks at the Mississippi farm are getting low and that it's time to re-up the federal cannabis stash as interest in marijuana's medical benefits and other effects increases among the public and scientists who wish to study it.
"While the drastic increase in requested production of marijuana by the DEA is a positive sign, significant barriers still exist including but not limited to the NIDA monopoly on cultivation and undue hurdles for researchers to qualify for a permit," NORML Political Director Justin Strekal in an interview. "It's time that Congress look at the 28,000 plus peer-reviewed studies currently hosted on the National Institute of Health's online database and reform federal law by removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act all together."
Once the DEA quota notice officially runs in the Federal Register, members of the public will be able to submit comments for a period of 30 days, after which time the agency may seek to amend and finalize the proposal.
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DOJ, DEA Seek 10% Reduction in Opioid Manufacturing
Aug 16, 2018 | Regulatory Focus
By Zachary Brennan
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Thursday announced they are seeking a 10% reduction in manufacturing for the six frequently misused opioids for 2019.
The proposal would impact the manufacturing of more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl. DEA said the quota was set in consultation with the US Food and Drug Administration and other data and forecasts.
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA said that it allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to companies that apply. DEA may revise a quota if there is an increase or decrease in sales or if there are new exports or manufacturers entering the market, new product developments or recalls.
“Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs,” the agencies said in a joint statement.
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East Texas U.S. Attorney Supports Justice Department’s Opioid Reduction Plan
Aug 16, 2018 | KFDM (TX)
By Darrien Graves
The eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown touted today’s announcement from the Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposing a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
“To address the opioid crisis in America, we have to attack not only those who illegally distribute drugs, but we also have to address the flood of narcotics from manufacturers and pharmacies that make it so easy for addicted people to get access,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “I am glad to see some movement on reducing the number of pills that have contributed to so many deaths.”
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
President Trump Cabinet Statements
DEA Announcement
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