Sen. Sherrod Brown has introduced three bipartisan bills touching on the opioid crisis.
One bill would require drug and medical-device manufacturers to disclose speaking and other fees they make to nurse practitioners and physician assistants. He says the transparency is important for accountability in marketing drugs.
“Drug companies are really good at this,” Brown says. “They’re a step ahead of the sheriff and we really need to make sure that we know of these conflicts.”
Other drug bills have been moving slowly in the U.S. Senate, including a bill from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to expand the DEA’s authority to seize suspicious shipments. Brown says federal agencies overall have been too cozy with the drug industry.
“I start with a healthy skepticism about the FDA,” Brown says. “The FDA closeness to the drug industry and we want to make sure that we pay attention to what the FDA’s doing.”
Brown’s bills also would ensure doctors discuss addiction risks with seniors and make sure that Medicaid covers health services for infants born to addiction.
