Experts keeping their eyes on ways to curb the number of overdoses in the U.S. say there’s one very important person missing in President Donald Trump’s commission—the nominee for top federal regulator of prescription drugs.
“There’s quite a bit the Food and Drug Administration could be doing and hasn’t done,” said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, co-director of opioid policy research at Brandeis University.
Trump on Wednesday introduced a high-profile group that is tasked with reporting on ideas and progress towards curbing the nation’s opioid epidemic. It includes New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — who has led several statewide efforts to address heroin addiction — U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and HHS Secretary Tom Price.
But Kolodny and others say the FDA needs to tighten regulations over drugmakers in order to stem the tide of products that heavily contribute to the overdose epidemic.
Kolodny said he wonders whether Trump’s nominee to head the FDA, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, will be influenced by his ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
“I’m worried that we’ll continue to see FDA policies that are 20 years old that really allow opioid makers to continue to pour fuel on a fire,” he said.
Gottlieb’s absence from President Trump’s commission does not necessarily mean that the FDA’s role in helping combat overdoses will not be assessed.
On Wednesday, the White House announced a commission that will report over the next 90 days “interim recommendations” on how the federal government can address addiction. The group’s mission is to direct federal funding toward treatment and prevention efforts, assess current strategies throughout the country, identify underserved areas and cut down overdoses.
In February, Christie, the chair of the commission, signed one of the country’s toughest drug laws which prevents patients from getting more than five days supply of prescription opioids. The law also requires that providers warn patients about the addictive nature of opioids prior to writing a prescription.
“I think it’s a great idea that these are a group of leaders that have the authority to act,” said Anne Woodbury, executive director for Advocates for Opioid Recovery, adding that the president is making promises to quickly deliver results and is putting a lot of his political capital and political reputation behind the effort.
Others say the commission is a step back from the more forceful and action-driven language Trump used during the campaign.
“It’s time for us to go beyond the rhetoric,” said Dr. Leana Wen, health commissioner for the city of Baltimore. She says the severity of the epidemic calls for proven, evidence-based strategies and money to fund those solutions.
The president’s federal budget proposal increases funding for opioid abuse treatment and prevention by $500 million. But moves since then have undermined other prevention and treatment efforts. Trump may eliminate the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. He championed an Affordable Care Act repeal plan that would have dropped coverage requirements for addiction services.