For Immediate Release: June 27, 2013
Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) today endorsed “The Servicemembers and Veterans Prescription Drug Safety Act” (S. 1089), proposed legislation in the U.S. Senate that would combat prescription drug abuse in the military by establishing a drug take-back program at federal facilities.
FSMB CEO and President Humayun Chaudhry, DO, MACP, commended Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and their fellow Senate co-sponsors, for introducing the bi-partisan legislation on June 4, 2013.
“The FSMB is pleased to offer its strong support for S. 1089, which will help combat prescription drug abuse among servicemembers and veterans,” Dr. Chaudhry said. “I applaud Senators Collins and Blumenthal for their leadership on this important issue. The number of reported suicides of United States servicemembers and veterans continues to rise at an alarming and unacceptable rate, with prescription drug abuse a major factor in many of these tragic cases. It is imperative that they be given easily accessible opportunities to safely dispose of unwanted or unused medications, and prevent instances of addiction and drug-related suicide.”
“This legislation would help prevent veterans and servicemembers faced with mental health challenges from falling victim to substance abuse by giving them the opportunity to more easily dispose of unused and unwanted prescription drugs at VA and DOD health facilities,” Senator Blumenthal said. “Veterans should be able to dispose of their prescriptions at the facilities that prescribed them in the first place.”
"The suicide rate among our active duty servicemembers and our veterans is not only deeply disturbing, it is absolutely unacceptable,” said Senator Collins. “The data suggest that prescription drug abuse is a salient factor in many of these cases. By simply giving our servicemembers and veterans access to facilities where they can dispose of prescriptions that are no longer needed, we can help save lives."
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About the FSMBThe FSMB is a national non-profit organization representing all medical boards within the United States and its territories that license and discipline allopathic and osteopathic physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other health care professionals. It assists these state and territorial medical boards as they go about their mandate of protecting the public’s health, safety and welfare. The FSMB leads by promoting excellence in medical practice, licensure, and regulation. For more information, please visit www.fsmb.org.
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