Congressman Kim Announces Launch of  Opioid Prevention and Education Now (OPEN) Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) announced the launch of the Opioid Prevention and Education Now (OPEN) Agenda, three bills aimed at increasing awareness of opioid and addiction solutions and transparency of the opioid approval process.

“Over the past year, I’ve met with people throughout Burlington and Ocean Counties who have struggled with the opioid and addiction crisis. I’ve listened, and today I’m proud to join with my colleagues to launch these bills,” said Congressman Kim. “When we bring these problems out into the open, we can increase awareness for medical professionals and accountability for those who approve bringing these drugs to market. By doing this, we can more effectively address the issues that lead to opioid use and make progress towards our aim of saving lives.”

The three bills comprising the OPEN Agenda are:

H.R. 5631, the Solutions not Stigmas Act
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) & Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)
Endorsing Organizations: American Association of Medical Colleges, Shatterproof, American Academy of Physician Assistants, American College of Academic Addiction Medicine

H.R. 5631 would allow medical and other health professional schools to access federal grant funding to enhance patient-provider education. Specifically, it would provide resources for schools to develop their curricula to address existing stigma and bias, improve patient care, and increase preparedness with respect to SUD and chronic pain treatment. The funding would also support clinical training experiences in primary care, mental and behavioral health.

H.R. 5632, the FDA Accountability for Public Safety Act
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Endorsing Organizations: National Council for Behavioral Health

H.R. 5632 aims to ensure that experts’ voices are heard when the FDA is considering new, dangerous opioid medications. It would require the FDA Commissioner to make the final decision on drug approvals if the advisory committee advises against approval. Furthermore, before the drug is distributed, the FDA must submit a report to Congress detailing the medical and scientific justifications and an explanation of the merits of the drug and why the advisory committee’s recommendation was ignored.

H.R. 5633, the Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) & Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH)
Endorsing Organizations: National Council for Behavioral Health, Shatterproof, U.S. First Responders Association, National Association of State EMS Officials, International Association of Fire Fighters

H.R. 5633 would direct CDC to conduct a public education campaign that raises public awareness of the dangers of synthetic opioids and explains the services available with respect to opioid treatment. The bill would also require the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to make materials for first responders (and other highly exposed workers) on synthetic opioid exposure prevention measures publicly accessible on their website.

In his first year in Congress, Congressman Kim helped deliver $500 million in funding to develop new treatments for those with opioid and addiction issues, met with local leaders and families dealing with the opioid epidemic, and held a town hall meeting to discuss potential solutions for New Jersey.

Information for those seeking help with opioid and addiction issues in Burlington and Ocean County can be found on the Congressman’s website by clicking here.

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