Dem urges DEA to release data on opioid distributors

A Democratic lawmaker is urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release data on the distribution of opioids across the country to those involved in hundreds of lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors.

“I would just encourage the DEA to be as responsive as possible,” Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) told a DEA official during a House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee hearing Wednesday.

“If there is a law that is preventing you from sharing certain data, the Congress needs to understand that,” Castor said.

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A Cleveland-based federal judge is overseeing various lawsuits from cities and municipalities against opioid manufacturers and distributors.

At a hearing Monday, U.S. District Judge Dan Polster told the DEA to inform him by next week if it will release some data showing transactions by opioid manufacturers and distributors, Cleveland.com reported.

The database shows how many drugs were sold, where they were sent and the pharmacies that purchased them. In early February, the judge ordered the plaintiffs and the DEA to come to an agreement on what part of the database the DEA would produce.

Absent an agreement, the judge could order the full release of the database, something the DEA opposes, according to Cleveland.com.

Castor questioned the DEA official Wednesday on if the agency would release the data, which Cleveland.com reports Polster suggested could be used in opioid settlement talks and indicated wouldn’t be public unless the lawsuits went to trial.

“I know personally and I’ve been part of the meetings that we’re working as much as we can with the coalitions, we understand their goals,” said Susan Gibson, deputy assistant administrator for the DEA’s Diversion Control Division.

Gibson said the agency is required to “protect business proprietary information.” When pressed, she clarified that included the business information of drug manufacturers and distributors.

“Proprietary information, yes, and that’s statute, and that’s not something that I can choose to do,” Gibson said.

“I know we have moved forward with several states as far as giving them information — some states we have already, some states we’re still trying to work that out, so I would have to get back to you regarding exactly Ohio,” she added later.

On Monday, the attorney representing local governments said they want the federal data to learn which companies sent opioids to specific areas.

The assistant U.S. attorney for the Department of Justice countered that releasing all the data could hurt ongoing investigations and put confidential data on display for drug companies that aren’t named in the lawsuits, Cleveland.com reported.