ALBUQUERQUE — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., introduced the Broadening Utilization of Proven and Effective Treatment for Recovery Act, or BUPE for Recovery Act, legislation to increase access to buprenorphine — a lifesaving drug used to treat opioid use disorder — by removing barriers providers and patients face when trying to access the medication on Oct. 4
“New Mexicans know too well the heartache of losing a loved one to opioids,” Heinrich said. “Enough is enough. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to tackle this epidemic with the urgency it demands, which includes eliminating barriers that providers and patients face in accessing lifesaving medication. My legislation aims to change reporting requirements for buprenorphine, ensuring that patients receive timely and effective treatment for opioid use disorder. This will help save lives and help New Mexicans get the care they need.”
The BUPE for Recovery Act temporarily exempts buprenorphine from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Suspicious Orders Report System requirements during the opioid public health emergency. SORS reporting requirements have led to an uncertainty among pharmacies and distributors to stock and dispense buprenorphine, which can prevent individuals suffering from opioid use disorder from receiving timely and effective treatment.
This legislation will mitigate the treatment gap created by stringent SORS reporting requirements, reducing overdose deaths, saving lives, and improving public health outcomes.
The BUPE for Recovery Act is endorsed by the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, Faces & Voices of Recovery, Overdose Prevention Initiative at GHAI, International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium, Kent Strategic Advisors, LLC, The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, National Behavioral Health Association of Providers, National Black Harm Reduction Network, National Community Pharmacists Association, The Kennedy Forum, Treatment Communities of America, Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, California Consortium of Addiction Programs & Professionals, Greater New York Hospital Association, New Mexico American College of Emergency Physicians, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and the National League for Nursing.
«Over a million Americans have died from a drug overdose since 1999, exposing millions more to devastating, personal loss,” Dr. Brian Hurley, President of ASAM. “Policymakers must focus on advancing policies to ensure that pharmacists can fulfill their core function to dispense lawful prescriptions for addiction medications. We thank Senator Heinrich for his leadership in introducing Broadening Utilization of Proven and Effective Treatment for Recovery Act, which would temporarily exempt buprenorphine products approved for the treatment of opioid use disorder from the federal Suspicious Orders Report System and related reporting requirements. ASAM looks forward to working with lawmakers to ensure this vital legislation is enacted swiftly.”
By Sen. Martin Heinrich
