Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that West Virginia has joined 40 other state and territories in sending a letter this week to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging it to require manufacturers of generic prescription pain relievers to develop tamper-resistant versions of their products. “This is another important step our Office has taken in joining other state attorneys general in addressing the epidemic of prescription drug abuse,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Many families across the Mountain State are affected by the abuse of prescription drugs. Our Office will continue to review and evaluate any step we can take that will help in fighting drug abuse for West Virginia families.” Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic levels in many states. In fact, West Virginia has the highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the nation, and a study issued this fall says the overdose death rate in the state is six times higher than it was 10 years ago. In their letter, the attorneys general say requiring abuse-deterrent pain killing prescription drugs is a reasonable move in the fight against this epidemic. In their letter the attorneys general thanked the FDA for their recent efforts to require abuse-deterrent formulations for brand-name prescription pain relievers. However, they also urged the FDA to go even further by ensuring that generic opioids, like their branded counterparts, have abuse-deterrent properties. Accordingly, the undersigned State Attorneys General respectfully request that the FDA provide clear and fair regulatory standards for the incorporation of abuse-deterrent technologies into generic opioids,” the letter from the attorneys general states. A copy of the letter can be found at http://bit.ly/IYfXT3 Morrisey joined attorneys general from 40 other states and territories, including: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
