House Committee Examines Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis

On October 25, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing, “Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis: A Status Update on CARA [Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (P.L. 114-198)] and Other Initiatives.” The hearing focused on the expansion of opioid addiction treatment, including medication-assisted treatment for pregnant and postpartum women, as well as infants born with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a related hearing on October 5 (see The Source, 10/06/17).

The following witnesses testified:

• Neil Doherty, deputy assistant administrator, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration;
• Scott Gottlieb, commissioner, Food and Drug Administration;
• Elinore McCance-Katz, assistant secretary, Mental Health and Substance Use, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration;
• Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
• Nora Volkow, director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health.