Safe Prescribing Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-621
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2013-03-20
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Health care coverage and access

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Prescription drugs

Rural conditions and development
Latest action: action_date: 2013-03-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-03-20
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Safe Prescribing Act of 2013 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to remove dihydrocodeinone (hydrocodone) from classification as a schedule III controlled substance.</p> <p>Directs the Attorney General to immediately allow manufacturers and distributors to store hydrocodone combination products in accordance with the physical security requirements for schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances for three years beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.</p> <p>Requires the Comptroller General to submit a report on the reclassification of hydrocodone products under this Act, including: (1) an assessment of the degree to which the reclassification of such products under this Act impacts the ability of patients with legitimate medical needs, particularly those in rural areas and nursing home facilities, to access adequate pain management; and (2) recommendations necessary to address any issues relating to patient access to adequate pain management.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 621 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 20, 2013 Mr. Manchin (for himself, Mr. Kirk , Mrs. Feinstein , Mr. Rockefeller , Mrs. Gillibrand , and Mr. Schumer ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend the Controlled Substances Act to make any substance containing hydrocodone a schedule II drug.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe Prescribing Act of 2013 . 2. Hydrocodone amendment (a) In general Schedule III(d) in section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 812 ) is amended by— (1) striking paragraphs (3) and (4); and (2) redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), (7), and (8) as paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6), respectively. (b) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act. 3. Physical security requirements Notwithstanding the amendments made by section 2, the Attorney General shall immediately, without regard to chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code, amend section 1301.72 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, relating to the physical security controls for non-practitioners, narcotic treatment programs and compounders for narcotic treatment programs, and storage areas for controlled substances, to allow, for the 3-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, manufacturers and distributors to store hydrocodone combination products in accordance with the physical security requirements for schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances. 4. GAO report (a) In general Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the reclassification of hydrocodone products under this Act. (b) Contents The report required under subsection (a) shall include— (1) an assessment of the degree to which the reclassification of hydrocodone products under this Act impacts the ability of patients with legitimate medical needs, particularly those in rural areas and nursing home facilities, to access adequate pain management; and (2) recommendations necessary to address issues, if any, relating to patient access to adequate pain management.