Two bipartisan bills, led by U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R), have passed the House of Representatives and are now headed to President Trump's desk for signature.
The Halting the Epidemic of Addiction and Loss (HEAL) Act and the Improving Access to Addiction Medicine Providers Act aim to strengthen efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.
The HEAL Act seeks to address a critical gap in federal policy by expanding access to all FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal agents, not just naloxone. By requiring the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to update guidance and grant language to be "molecule agnostic," the bill ensures that states, tribes, and nonprofits can use the reversal agent best suited to their local needs.
"Current guidance has unintentionally created a monopoly around naloxone," Cornyn expressed. "The HEAL Act allows for flexibility and innovation in how we respond to overdoses, potentially saving more lives."
The Improving Access to Addiction Medicine Providers Act would formally recognize addiction medicine as an eligible specialty for fellowships funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This move is designed to grow the workforce of qualified professionals able to treat substance use disorders.
These bills come at a time when overdose deaths have decreased by nearly 30% from the previous year, although synthetic opioids like fentanyl still account for the majority of fatalities.
Cornyn, who chairs the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, has been a leading voice in efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking and misuse.
