McKesson sent a letter to the President Donald Trump's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, recommending the administration consider two specific actions to mitigate opioid misuse.
The two actions are:
1. Prioritize a National Patient Safety Network for safe dispensing and prescribing of opioids. The network could give pharmacists real-time alerts to identify patients whose prescription history indicates they may be at higher risk for opioid abuse or misuse. McKesson is part of a coalition working toward make the network a reality.
2. Leverage the expertise and experience of pharmacists to address the opioid epidemic. The Trump administration should consider enacting policies that make it easier for pharmacists, who have a comprehensive view of a patient's health status including prescriptions and diagnoses, to provide medication-assisted treatment and other services to those suffering from opioid addiction.
"We urge the administration and Congress to continue to explore both the adequate funding levels, and the most innovative public and private sector-generated public policy ideas that are critical to fighting this crisis," said Pete Slone, senior vice president of public affairs, McKesson.
In October, President Trump officially declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency.