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Introduced Version - Originating in Committee Senate Concurrent Resolution 75 History

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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 75

(By Senators Prezioso, Stollings, Jenkins, Laird, Browning, Foster, Palumbo, Snyder, Unger, Yost and Guills)

[Originating in the Committee on Health and Human Resources]



Requesting the Joint Committee of Government and Finance study drug diversion and unintentional pharmaceutical drug overdoses.

Whereas, There has been a marked increase nationwide in the use and abuse of prescription narcotic drugs since 1990. The effect of this pharmacoepidemic is most prominent in rural areas; and
Whereas, West Virginia has, in fact, experienced the largest increase in drug overdose mortality rates in the nation between the years 1999 and 2004; and
Whereas, The majority of overdose deaths in West Virginia in 2006 were associated with nonmedical use and diversion of prescription drugs, primarily prescription narcotic pharmaceuticals; and
Whereas, Prescription drug diversion drains health insurers nationally of up to $72.5 billion a year. These costs include costs for insurance schemes and costs for treatment for abuse. There are also considerable costs to the state; and
Whereas, There is a need for a process to study the causes of the use of fraudulent prescriptions and unintentional pharmaceutical drug overdose fatalities that have occurred in West Virginia; and
Whereas, It is the intent of the Legislature to obtain input from government agencies, medical organizations and other entities that it is determined would be beneficial to the discussions to the study of fraudulent prescriptions and unintentional pharmaceutical drug overdoses; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study drug diversion and unintentional pharmaceutical drug overdoses; and, be it
Further Resolved, That in exploring solutions, the Joint Committee on Government and Finance should consider the feasibility of an official prescription program that could implement tamper prescription pads, which are already required for use by Medicaid, and the feasability of an Unintentional Pharmaceutical Drug Overdose Fatality Review Team to review deaths caused by prescription drugs; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2010, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.
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