The Drug Enforcement Administration and drug distributors failed to address the opioid epidemic in West Virginia, revealed a report out today from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The Committee spent 18 months on the investigation in West Virginia, which has the highest rate of opioid overdoses in the U. S.
“Our bipartisan investigation revealed systemic failures by both distributors and the DEA that contributed to — any failed to abate — the opioid crisis in West Virginia,” said Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore, and ranking member Frank Pallone, Jr., D-NJ.
The majority staff report released today identified several flaws limiting the effectiveness of the distributors’ compliance programs and DEA’s enforcement.
The report places blame on drug companies, pharmacists, physicians and drug traffickers. “This investigation has revealed that neither the DEA nor the distributors rose to the occasion to help mitigate the opioid epidemic,” the report reads.
