Washington, D.C. – In May, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act of 2018 with her colleague Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va). This critical piece of legislation passed as part of the bipartisan opioids package in the United States Senate tonight. The bipartisan bill holds fraudulent substance abuse treatment programs and recovery centers accountable by empowering the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general to bring enforcement actions to combat scams.
“I’m proud to have voted for the bipartisan opioid legislation that passed the Senate tonight. My bipartisan amendment ensures that protections are in place to stop fraudulent recovery and treatment scams and support those fighting to overcome opioid addiction. I will continue to do all that I can to ensure that Nevadans struggling with addiction, and their families, have access to the treatments they need to recover.”
BACKGROUND:
The Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act:
- Clarifies and reaffirms the power of the FTC to hold accountable opioid treatment scams, including deceptive treatment claims and bogus products.
- Provides the FTC additional tools, including civil penalties, to ensure bad actors face penalties and create strong deterrents to these unlawful practices.
- Protects individuals with opioid use disorder and their families from harmful and misleading addiction treatment programs or products.
- Empowers state attorneys general to enforce these provisions and provide additional law enforcement to focus on these fraudulent practices.
The text of the bill can be found HERE.