From Press Release
U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the leaders of the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, today announced the witness list for the caucus hearing on the quota system used to manage controlled substances in medicine in light of a recent report from the Government Accountability Office showing problems in the way the program is managed.
The hearing, “Improving Management of the Controlled Substances Quota Process,” is set for Tuesday, April 14, 2015, at 10 a.m. Eastern in 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. The hearing will have one panel with three government witnesses. They are:
• Marcia Crosse, Director of the Health Care Team at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Washington, D.C.;
• Captain Valerie Jensen, Associate Director of the Drug Shortages Program at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Washington, D.C.; and
• Joseph Rannazzisi, Deputy Assistant Administrator of Drug Diversion with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Washington, D.C.
The GAO report found that the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is responsible for setting quotas for manufacturing controlled substances, does not have a collaborative relationship with the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates medical drug safety, among other management shortcomings. The report makes recommendations to improve the management. Medical experts have complained of shortages of medically necessary drugs over the management problems. The report is available here.
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