Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., plans to introduce legislation to repeal a 2016 law that a published report said restricted the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to crack down on sketchy opioid distributors.
The Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2016 made it so the agency could no longer bring enforcement actions against opioid distributors who give the painkillers to corrupt doctors and pharmacists, the Washington Post reported Sunday.
A key contributor to the opioid epidemic has been overprescribing painkillers such as OxyContin. Opioid overdoses kill 91 Americans every day, according to federal data.
Pill mills, which are fake pharmacies that distribute painkillers to addicts, have worsened the problem.
McCaskill launched an investigation into opioid makers this year. She has called for information from distributors and manufacturers on sales and marketing materials and details on compliance with government settlements, according to a statement.
