A bill from Senator Mike Braun (R-Indiana) and his colleagues to combat the opioid crisis has passes the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
The Ensuring the FDA Fully Examines Clinical Trial Impact and Vitalness before Endorsement (EFFECTIVE) Act would let the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “deny a new drug application for an opioid analgesic drug on the basis of the drug not being clinically superior to other commercially available drugs,” according to a release.
The bill is part of a bipartisan effort to address drug overdoses throughout the country. Braun has been working with Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) to get this bill written up.
“The opioid epidemic has permeated every corner of Indiana and left communities devastated from the loss of life and opportunity. Drug overdoses are now one of the most common causes of death in Indiana. I’m proud we were able to pass this bill out of committee because it’s a much-needed bipartisan solution to slow the growth of the crisis by tightening up the FDA approval process for opioid drugs by taking efficacy into account when approving new ones,” Braun said.
