Manchin, Colleagues Propose National Painkiller Monitoring

West Virginia’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin and two colleagues have introduced legislation that would require all states getting certain federal funding to establish electronic prescription drug monitoring and share information across state lines.

In their proposed federal effort against doctor shopping for addictive painkillers, their bill would require pharmacists in affected states report any opioids they dispense within 24 hours.

It would require doctors consult the database before writing opioid prescriptions.

Manchin says 91 people are dying daily from opioid overdoses in the national epidemic that has hit West Virginia.

Other sponsors are Sens. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, and Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican.