I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 993 
To reduce opioid misuse and abuse. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 9, 2017 
Mr. FOSTER (for himself, Mr. SWALWELL of California, and Mr. SEAN PAT-
RICK MALONEY of New York) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To reduce opioid misuse and abuse. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Opioid Abuse Preven-
tion and Treatment Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. PILOT PROJECT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall award grants to one or more States to carry 
out a 1-year pilot project to develop a standardized peer 
review process and methodology to review and evaluate 
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prescribing and pharmacy dispensing patterns, through a 
review of prescription drug monitoring programs (referred 
to in this section as ‘‘PDMP’’) in the States receiving such 
grants. 
(b) METHODOLOGY.—The recipients of a grant under 
this section shall develop a systematic, standardized meth-
odology to identify and investigate questionable or inap-
propriate prescribing and dispensing patterns of sub-
stances on schedule II or III under section 202 of the Con-
trolled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812). Such peer review 
methodology and prescribing and dispensing patterns shall 
be shared with the appropriate State regulators and health 
profession boards. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—A State receiving a grant 
under this section— 
(1) with respect to controlled substances for 
which a prescriber is required to be registered with 
by the Drug Enforcement Administration in order to 
prescribe such controlled substances, shall make the 
information with respect to such controlled sub-
stances from the PDMP available to State regu-
lators and licensing boards; and 
(2) with respect to any other controlled sub-
stances, may make the information with respect to 
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such controlled substances from the PDMP available 
to State regulators and licensing boards. 
(d) SUBGRANTEES.—A quality improvement organi-
zation with which the Secretary has entered into a con-
tract under part B of title XI of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1320c et seq.) may serve as the subgrantee 
under this subsection to develop peer review processes as 
described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 3. PRESCRIPTION DRUG, HEROIN, AND OTHER CON-
TROLLED SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION. 
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280g) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 399V–7. PRESCRIPTION DRUG, HEROIN, AND OTHER 
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVEN-
TION. 
‘‘(a) TRAINING GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
5-year grants to eligible entities to facilitate training 
in order to increase the capacity of health care pro-
viders to conduct patient screening, brief interven-
tions, and referral to treatment as needed, such as 
in health care settings to prevent the abuse of pre-
scription drugs, heroin, and other controlled sub-
stances. The grant program under this section may 
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be coordinated with the Screening Brief Intervention 
and Referral to Treatment grant program of the 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Ad-
ministration, or other appropriate programs. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—In this subsection, 
the term ‘eligible entity’ includes— 
‘‘(A) States; 
‘‘(B) physician organizations; 
‘‘(C) continuing education entities, such as 
health profession boards or health accrediting 
bodies; 
‘‘(D) peer recovery organizations; and 
‘‘(E) other appropriate health or profes-
sional education organizations or institutions. 
‘‘(b) EXPANSION
OF PRESCRIBING AUTHORITY.— 
The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the 
Health Resources and Services Administration, shall 
award grants to States for the purpose of evaluating the 
prospect of the health professions board of such States 
reviewing and expanding prescribing authorities of pro-
viders, such as advance practice nurses and physician’s as-
sistants, with respect to prescribing drugs for the treat-
ment of the abuse of prescription drugs, heroin, or other 
controlled substances.’’. 
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SEC. 4. PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE TRAINING AND 
SCREENING PROGRAMS. 
(a) CONTINUING EDUCATION GRANTS.—The Sec-
retary shall award grants to States to develop continuing 
education criteria and review processes that allow State 
health profession boards or State agencies to certify ap-
propriate education and training for informed and safe 
prescribing of opioids and other drugs listed on schedule 
II or III under section 202 of the Controlled Substances 
Act (21 U.S.C. 812). 
(b) SCREENING PROGRAM.—The Attorney General 
shall request that a practitioner registered under section 
303(f) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 
823(f)) conduct patient screening for potential drug mis-
use or abuse before prescribing a drug listed on schedule 
II or III under section 202 of the Controlled Substances 
Act (21 U.S.C. 812), according to standards established 
by the applicable State licensing body. 
SEC. 5. FDA REVIEW OF NALOXONE. 
The Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of 
Food and Drugs, shall conduct a review of naloxone to 
consider whether naloxone should cease to be subject to 
section 503(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
Act (21 U.S.C. 353(b)) and be available as an over-the- 
counter drug, in order to increase access to such drug. 
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SEC. 6. PRESCRIPTION OPIATE DISPOSAL. 
The Secretary shall convene or coordinate with an ex-
isting entity an interagency working group— 
(1) to encourage States and local governments 
to increase opportunities for disposal of opiates, such 
as frequent ‘‘take-back programs’’ and fixed medi-
cine disposal sites at law enforcement public build-
ings; and 
(2) to reduce opportunities for abuse of opiates, 
such as establishing opioid dispensing limits at hos-
pital emergency departments. 
SEC. 7. GAO REPORT. 
The Comptroller General of the United States shall— 
(1) review opioid abuse programs, heroin abuse 
programs, and policies in Federal agencies and best 
practices with respect to opioid and heroin abuse 
and overdose programs of the States; and 
(2) not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, issue a report to Congress on 
its findings and recommendations on ways to reduce 
opioid and heroin abuse and overdoses. 
Æ 
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