Lawmakers Increasing Focus on Prescription Drug Abuse

Partner Judy Waltz and Senior Counsel Jason Drori contributed an article, “Lawmakers Increasing Focus on Prescription Drug Abuse,” to the Daily Journal on August 8, 2016. The article discussed how there is growing focus on the use and potential abuse of prescription drugs used to fight pain, especially related to opioid abuse. Waltz and Drori discussed notable legislation, including the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which is the first federal anti-opioid abuse legislation, and how CARA may be able to help alleviate issues related to the opioid abuse epidemic. Conversely, Waltz and Drori discussed how heightened safety concerns about prolonged opioid use, prescribing restrictions and guidelines have negatively and disproportionately affected legitimate pain patients, without identification of a comparable alternative.