Signed by Governor Jim Justice, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that authorizes development of opioid treatment program if part of clinical trial and approved by institutional review board in West Virginia

Highlights:

• Authorizes the development of an opioid treatment program in West Virginia (Sec. ).

• Requires the opioid treatment program to do the following, including (Ch. 16, Sec. 9):

• Be an approved clinical trial with institutional review board approval

• Be used for the study of office-based methadone versus buprenorphine to address retention in medication for opioid use disorder treatment; 

• Be developed for the limited purposes of conducting the clinical trial and shall be limited to the time frame outlined in the clinical trial; and

• Add licensed substance abuse treatment beds in any county that already has greater 22 than 250 licensed substance abuse treatment beds.

• Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses participating in the clinical trial to dispense opioid antagonist drugs and exceed prescription limitations (Ch. 16, Sec. 9).

• Limits exemptions to a one-time use (Ch. 30, Sec. 15).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Ch. 60, Sec. 9).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and further amend a bill that authorizes development of opioid treatment program if part of clinical trial and approved by institutional review board in West Virginia.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the development of an opioid treatment program in West Virginia (Sec. ).

• Requires the opioid treatment program to do the following, including (Ch. 16, Sec. 9):

• Be an approved clinical trial with institutional review board approval

• Be used for the study of office-based methadone versus buprenorphine to address retention in medication for opioid use disorder treatment; 

• Be developed for the limited purposes of conducting the clinical trial and shall be limited to the time frame outlined in the clinical trial; and

• Add licensed substance abuse treatment beds in any county that already has greater 22 than 250 licensed substance abuse treatment beds.

• Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses participating in the clinical trial to dispense opioid antagonist drugs and exceed prescription limitations (Ch. 16, Sec. 9).

• Limits exemptions to a one-time use (Ch. 30, Sec. 15).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Ch. 60, Sec. 9).

Full Bill Text