Bipartisan leaders of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee recently sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Alex Azar, noting their concerns regarding substance use disorders (SUD) during the pandemic. The Committee leaders highlighted several concerning data trends and referenced discussions held with Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The letter requested a briefing from HHS with updated data related to SUD and overdoses, how the data has been affected by the pandemic, and recommendations for further action the government can take to address the crisis. The letter was signed by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR); Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) and Ranking Member Michael Burgess (R-TX); and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Ranking Member Brett Guthrie (R-KY).
- Ann Tucker