[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4275 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4275


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 13, 2018

     Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To provide for the development and dissemination of programs and 
materials for training pharmacists, health care providers, and patients 
 on indicators that a prescription is fraudulent, forged, or otherwise 
       indicative of abuse or diversion, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Empowering Pharmacists in the Fight 
Against Opioid Abuse Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS FOR TRAINING ON CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES 
              UNDER WHICH A PHARMACIST MAY DECLINE TO FILL A 
              PRESCRIPTION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
consultation with the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement 
Administration, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Assistant Secretary 
for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall develop and disseminate 
programs and materials for training pharmacists, health care providers, 
and patients on--
            (1) circumstances under which a pharmacist may, consistent 
        with section 201 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 
        811) and regulations thereunder, including section 1306.04 of 
        title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, decline to fill a 
        prescription for a controlled substance because the pharmacist 
        suspects the prescription is fraudulent, forged, or otherwise 
        indicative of abuse or diversion; and
            (2) any Federal requirements pertaining to declining to 
        fill a prescription under such circumstances.
    (b) Materials Included.--In developing materials under subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall include 
information educating--
            (1) pharmacists on how to decline to fill a prescription 
        and actions to take after declining to fill a prescription; and
            (2) other health care practitioners and the public on a 
        pharmacist's responsibility to decline to fill prescriptions in 
        certain circumstances.
    (c) Stakeholder Input.--In developing the programs and materials 
required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall seek input from relevant national, State, and local 
associations, boards of pharmacy, medical societies, licensing boards, 
health care practitioners, and patients.

            Passed the House of Representatives June 12, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.