WASHINGTON — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the Healthcare Distribution Management Association are among organizations supporting House legislation to address the growing prescription drug abuse trend while preserving patients’ access to their medications.

NACDS has written to the bipartisan leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committees’ health subcommittee to reiterate its endorsement of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act (H.R. 4709).

The legislation would create a framework to foster collaboration among health and enforcement officials and other stakeholders to consider prescription drug abuse and access issues simultaneously, according to NACDS.

The association formally endorsed the bill in February and, in its recent letter, pointed to the momentum that brought the bill to the mark-up stage.

“NACDS and the chain pharmacy industry are committed to partnering with policy makers to develop viable strategies to prevent prescription drug diversion and abuse. We support policies that empower law enforcement to protect Americans against the dangers of prescription drug diversion and abuse while maintaining legitimate patient access to needed medications,” NACDS wrote to the subcommittee.

HDMA president and chief executive officer John Gray stated: “Similar to the way drug manufacturers interact with the Food and Drug Administration, the legislation will help curtail unnecessary supply chain disruptions that affect patient access to needed medications by allowing companies registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration to submit corrective action plans to address DEA concerns. Doing so will create a more robust and transparent process to address drug diversion. Additionally, the clarification of key terminology in the Controlled Substances Act will help ensure that registrants have a better understanding of their responsibilities under the law.”