Partnership For Safe Medicines Urges Passage of the STOP Act to Increase Inspections for Dangerous Synthetic Opioids
Partnership For Safe Medicines Urges Passage of the STOP Act to Increase Inspections for Dangerous Synthetic Opioids
Legislation will increase surveillance of primary smuggling route for fentanyl
WASHINGTON (May 24, 2018) – The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) today urged passage of the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act of 2017 (S.372), also known as the STOP Act of 2017 [Click here for bill text]. The STOP Act addresses the crisis of counterfeit medications made with fentanyl that has swept the nation in the past twenty four months.
“The STOP Act will help increase the volume of suspicious packages that can be inspected as they enter the country, which will directly save lives” said Marv Shepherd, Board President of the Partnership for Safe Medicines. “Counterfeit pills made with illegally-imported fentanyl have spread to 43 U.S. states and have killed Americans in 22 states.”
In March, PSM documented the spread of counterfeit medications in America with its report, “43 States and Counting: The Deadly Combination Of Imported Fentanyl and Counterfeit Medications.” (https://www.safemedicines.org/2017/09/40-states-and-counting.html)
On June 7th at the National Press Club, PSM will host a half-day event focusing on counterfeits in America and give the families of victims of counterfeits made with fentanyl a chance to talk about the danger to Americans. You can register to attend this event online.
“This counterfeit crisis has spread across the country like a wildfire,” said Shabbir Safdar, PSM’s Executive Director. “America is unprepared and unaware of the risk that a single and poorly made counterfeit pill could be fatal. Reducing the ability of smugglers to bring it into the country is a key step to saving American lives,” said Safdar.
About the Partnership for Safe Medicines
The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) is a public health group comprised of nearly 70 non-profit organizations that are committed to the safety of prescription drugs and protecting consumers against counterfeit, substandard or otherwise unsafe medicines. To learn more, visit www.safemedicines.org.