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WASHINGTON – Congress has reached consensus on a prescription to fight the opioid epidemic in the country, ensuring that the package will soon be available on President Donald Trump's office.
House and Senate negotiators announced Tuesday night that they had reached agreement on a package of bills to help fight illicit drugs at the border, speeding up the search for new non-addictive prescription pain relievers who are addicts.
The House could consider the bill as early as this week. The Senate vote on the bill was not entirely clear.
"It is urgent that both Houses pass this bill so that the President can sign it as soon as possible," said US Senator Lamar Alexander, chair of the Senate Committee on Health.
Other measures in the package strengthen prescription drug monitoring programs to prevent "physician purchases", provide comprehensive opioid recovery centers, allow Medicaid to cover 30 days of drug treatment and to seven days supply.
The bill is the result of several months of congressional hearings, including testimonials from medical experts, law enforcement officials and Americans whose families have been affected by the epidemic of opioids.
the House and the Senate have each adopted bipartite legislation. The final package is a compromise from these two bills.
More: Almost 30% of opioid prescriptions lacked medical reason, according to an analysis
More: Colorado sues OxyContin maker for misleading marketing campaign
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