Congress Introduces Bills to Limit Hydrocodone Access

After receiving notice from the FDA that reclassifying hydrocodone to be a Schedule II drug (it's currently Schedule III) would be a lengthy process, Congress has taken the agency's recommendation and introduced a bill to more quickly reclassify the drug.

Bipartisan bills have been introduced in both houses of Congress. The bills are cosponsored by 42 members of both parties.

The goal of the bills is to combat growing prescription drug abuse. If the legislation passes, people will no longer be able to refill hydrocodone prescriptions by fax or phone and long-term care operators might have to store the drug differently. Opponents have argued that the reclassification will just make it more difficult for people who are in pain to receive the drug.

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