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| Trump to Declare Opioid Crisis a ‘Public Health Emergency’ | Trump to Declare Opioid Crisis a ‘Public Health Emergency’ |
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| WASHINGTON — President Trump on Thursday will announce he is directing his Department of Health and Human Services to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency, senior administration officials said, a move that would free up some federal money and ease certain laws and regulations to address a rapidly escalating epidemic of drug use in the United States. | WASHINGTON — President Trump on Thursday will announce he is directing his Department of Health and Human Services to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency, senior administration officials said, a move that would free up some federal money and ease certain laws and regulations to address a rapidly escalating epidemic of drug use in the United States. |
| Mr. Trump’s long-anticipated directive, to be announced in an address at the White House on Thursday afternoon, would fulfill a vow that he made when he assumed office to make tackling opioid abuse one of his top priorities, but has so far taken limited action to carry out. | Mr. Trump’s long-anticipated directive, to be announced in an address at the White House on Thursday afternoon, would fulfill a vow that he made when he assumed office to make tackling opioid abuse one of his top priorities, but has so far taken limited action to carry out. |
| But it falls short of declaring a national emergency on the crisis, even though a presidential commission he created had recommended that, and Mr. Trump pledged in August to follow through. Such a step would have unlocked additional emergency funding and federal authority to take urgent action on opioids. | But it falls short of declaring a national emergency on the crisis, even though a presidential commission he created had recommended that, and Mr. Trump pledged in August to follow through. Such a step would have unlocked additional emergency funding and federal authority to take urgent action on opioids. |
| The officials argued that a national emergency declaration was not necessary or helpful in the case of the opioid crisis, and that the powers associated with a public health emergency were better suited to address the issue. They outlined Mr. Trump’s announcement on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting his formal speech. | The officials argued that a national emergency declaration was not necessary or helpful in the case of the opioid crisis, and that the powers associated with a public health emergency were better suited to address the issue. They outlined Mr. Trump’s announcement on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting his formal speech. |
| The president in August called the opioid crisis a “national emergency,” but did not sign a formal declaration designating it as such, allowing the prospect to languish amid divisions in his administration about the potential costs. It is not clear how much impact the public health declaration will have in the short term, given that Mr. Trump has yet to name the central players who will be charged with carrying it out, including a drug czar to steer a broader strategy on opioids and a secretary of Health and Human Services who would tailor policies and identify funding streams to carry it out. | The president in August called the opioid crisis a “national emergency,” but did not sign a formal declaration designating it as such, allowing the prospect to languish amid divisions in his administration about the potential costs. It is not clear how much impact the public health declaration will have in the short term, given that Mr. Trump has yet to name the central players who will be charged with carrying it out, including a drug czar to steer a broader strategy on opioids and a secretary of Health and Human Services who would tailor policies and identify funding streams to carry it out. |
| Representative Tom Marino, the Pennsylvania Republican who Mr. Trump had named to head his Office of National Drug Control Policy, withdrew last week after reports that he did the bidding of the pharmaceutical industry in weakening law enforcement’s ability to curb drug sales in efforts to block black-market sales of opioids. The White House has yet to announce a new candidate. | Representative Tom Marino, the Pennsylvania Republican who Mr. Trump had named to head his Office of National Drug Control Policy, withdrew last week after reports that he did the bidding of the pharmaceutical industry in weakening law enforcement’s ability to curb drug sales in efforts to block black-market sales of opioids. The White House has yet to announce a new candidate. |
| And Tom Price resigned last month as health secretary after it was revealed he was flying on private jets paid for with taxpayer dollars; a nominee has not been named for that post as well. | And Tom Price resigned last month as health secretary after it was revealed he was flying on private jets paid for with taxpayer dollars; a nominee has not been named for that post as well. |
| But the officials said a public health emergency declaration would quickly lead to crucial changes, including the provision of federal grant money and the expansion of access to telemedicine services, which would broaden the reach of medical treatment to rural areas ravaged by opioid use where doctors are often in short supply. | But the officials said a public health emergency declaration would quickly lead to crucial changes, including the provision of federal grant money and the expansion of access to telemedicine services, which would broaden the reach of medical treatment to rural areas ravaged by opioid use where doctors are often in short supply. |
| Mr. Trump’s promises to focus on the opioid crisis helped propel him to victory in New Hampshire’s primary last year. The crisis has claimed tens of thousands of lives — more than 59,000, according to a Times study of drug deaths in 2016 — and appears to be growing worse by the day. | |
| Mr. Trump formed an opioid commission in March and installed Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, a rival for the Republican nomination who had championed the issue during the 2016 race, at the helm. In July, the commission recommended that the president declare a national emergency, something Mr. Price had ruled out in part because of concerns about an open-ended commitment of federal dollars. But Mr. Trump surprised his advisers by telling reporters soon after that he was ready to take just such a step. | Mr. Trump formed an opioid commission in March and installed Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, a rival for the Republican nomination who had championed the issue during the 2016 race, at the helm. In July, the commission recommended that the president declare a national emergency, something Mr. Price had ruled out in part because of concerns about an open-ended commitment of federal dollars. But Mr. Trump surprised his advisers by telling reporters soon after that he was ready to take just such a step. |
| There have been few major actions to match those words, even as administration officials have worked feverishly behind the scenes to come to an agreement on an opioid policy that would reflect the president’s position. | |
| In the meantime, members of Mr. Trump’s opioid commission and lawmakers in both parties have grown impatient for action. On Wednesday, a group of Democrats led by Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan released a letter they wrote to the president asking him to allow the government to negotiate lower prices for naloxone, a drug that quickly counteracts the effects of opioid overdoses. Declaring a state of emergency would give the secretary of Health and Human Services the power to seek such price reductions, they said. | In the meantime, members of Mr. Trump’s opioid commission and lawmakers in both parties have grown impatient for action. On Wednesday, a group of Democrats led by Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan released a letter they wrote to the president asking him to allow the government to negotiate lower prices for naloxone, a drug that quickly counteracts the effects of opioid overdoses. Declaring a state of emergency would give the secretary of Health and Human Services the power to seek such price reductions, they said. |