West Virginia AG Criticizes DEA, Commerce Dept. For Opioid Database Restriction, Cites Spiking Overdose Deaths

Hope on Haven Hill Executive Director Kerry Norton recently appeared on “Fox & Friends First” to emphasize the significance of combatting the opioid crisis as GOP contenders tackle this critical issue. In a recent development, the West Virginia Attorney General, Patrick Morrisey, has criticized the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Commerce for restricting public access to a crucial database on opioid provider registrations. Since January 2021, the Controlled Substances Act Registration Information Database, previously open to the public, has only been made available on a case-by-case, agency-approved basis. This move has raised serious concerns, particularly given that West Virginia currently experiences the highest drug overdose mortality rate in the US – 90.9 deaths per 100,000 total population in 2021, according to Morrisey’s letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. Morrisey highlights in his letter that the database restriction comes at a time when opioid-related overdose deaths are spiraling out of control, with more than six times as many individuals succumbing to overdoses in 2021 compared to 1999, and more than three-quarters of those fatalities involving opioids. Moreover, Morrisey argues that the decision to conceal the database goes against the spirit of transparency, which should be a priority given the ongoing opioid epidemic. He further adds that broad access to registration data is critical not only for pharmacies verifying the legitimacy of prescriptions but also for journalists and watchdog advocacy groups scrutinizing government actions concerning the opioid crisis. Morrisey demands immediate action from the DEA and the Commerce Department to address these issues, including revealing the number of denied applications and outlining the criteria for granting access to the database. The West Virginia Attorney General’s Office has been investigating the contribution of federal regulators to the excessive production of prescription opioids, a factor that has fuelled the opioid crisis, while also advocating for enhanced transparency and accountability in the battle against the opioid epidemic.