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FIRST ON FOX: The West Virginia lawyer wide is calling connected the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Commerce to explicate their determination to bounds nationalist entree to a "critical" database connected opioid supplier registrations.
The Controlled Substances Act Registration Information Database, which was antecedently disposable to the public, has been restricted since January 2021 to a case-by-case, agency-approved ground only. The database, which was utilized to supply real-time accusation astir progressive and retired DEA registrations, is present lone accessible to those who tin show a morganatic request for the accusation aft the DEA took ownership of the database from the Commerce Department.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who said helium has "been heavy successful the fight" against the opioid crisis, added that he's "deeply troubled" by the decision. "[I]t was an indispensable instrumentality for pharmacies checking a provider’s registration presumption earlier dispensing opioids, arsenic good arsenic for nationalist accountability when it comes to who DEA grants oregon refuses a registration," he noted successful a missive Thursday to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.
"For excessively long, an ever-growing proviso of ineligible opioids made it excessively casual for drugs initially obtained done lawful prescriptions to beryllium diverted to illicit – and deadly – ends," Morrisey wrote.
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Republican West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (Patrick Smith/Getty Images/File)
"Pulling down the nationalist database came successful the aftermath of my Office’s and the Inspector General’s reports exposing DEA’s repeated failures successful fulfilling its statutory duties to the public," Morrisey wrote. "And the database concerns an contented that the Inspector General study specifically called out: DEA’s years agelong nonaccomplishment to contented capable Immediate Suspension Orders, its ‘strongest enforcement instrumentality ... to halt registrants from diverting medicine drugs.’"
Morrisey noted that the determination comes astatine a clip erstwhile opioid-related overdose deaths proceed to skyrocket. According to the DEA's website, opioid deaths accrued by 38% from Jan. 31, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021.
West Virginia’s cause overdose mortality has been the highest successful the country: 90.9 deaths per 100,000 full colonisation successful 2021, according to Morrisey's letter. Nationwide, much than six times arsenic galore radical died from cause overdoses successful 2021 than successful 1999, and much than 3 successful 4 of those deaths progressive opioids, the missive said.
"Each of these realities should person been a crushed to summation transparency, not to fell distant DEA’s registration decisions from nationalist review," Morrisey wrote.
"Broad entree to registration accusation is captious not conscionable for pharmacies making definite a medicine is legitimate, but for journalists and watchdog advocacy groups holding our authorities accountable. In short, much eyes connected DEA’s registration decisions are captious to marque definite DEA is doing its occupation by denying oregon suspending registrations for providers who adhd to the opioid epidemic’s decease toll," helium continued.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey wrote to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, shown, to inquire astir the determination to bounds nationalist entree to a "critical" database connected opioid supplier registrations. (Getty Images/File)
Morrisey is demanding answers from DEA and the Commerce Department astir wherefore they made this decision, however galore applications person been denied, and what criteria are utilized to contented entree to the database. He besides urged contiguous enactment to code the concerns and marque the accusation freely disposable to the public.
The West Virginia Attorney General's Office said it has been investigating the relation of national regulators successful allowing excessive overproduction of medicine opioids, which has contributed to the opioid epidemic. Morrisey's bureau has besides been pushing for accrued transparency and accountability successful the combat against the opioid crisis.
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A DEA cause looks astatine posters of fentanyl overdose victims during a National Fentanyl Awareness Day lawsuit successful New York City connected Aug. 21, 2023. (Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
"Agencies should invited nationalist accountability and I spot they’ll bash the close thing," helium said successful a connection to Fox News Digital.
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The DEA and Commerce Department did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Brianna Herlihy is simply a authorities writer for Fox News Digital.
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