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S. 2579Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018

Sponsored by Todd YoungSen. Todd Young (R-IN)
Introduced March 20, 2018

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 8:48 PM UTC

The Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018 updates the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize and broaden a CDC‑run program that tracks and prevents infections tied to injection drug use. It gives the agency new authority and funding to work with states, health providers, and at‑risk individuals to monitor diseases like hepatitis C and HIV and to provide education and testing.

Key Provisions

  • Allows the CDC, through grants, to cooperate with states on a surveillance system that measures the incidence and prevalence of injection‑drug‑related infections, including chronic hepatitis C and HIV.
  • Authorizes CDC‑funded programs to identify, counsel, test, and refer individuals at risk because of injection drug use or other risk factors for appropriate medical care and follow‑up.
  • Mandates development and distribution of public education materials aimed at high‑risk populations and improves training for health professionals, especially substance‑use‑treatment providers, pediatricians, primary‑care doctors, and OB‑GYNs.
  • Provides for improvements in clinical‑laboratory procedures related to these infections.
  • Defines “injection drug use” to cover illegal or unapproved intravenous use of Schedule I‑V substances.
  • Appropriates $40 million per fiscal year for 2019‑2023 to fund these activities.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 20, 2018

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 20, 2018

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 20, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 20, 2018

II

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2579

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 20, 2018

Mr. Young (for himself, Mr. Markey, and Ms. Baldwin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize and expand a program of surveillance and education, carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regarding infections associated with injection drug use.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018.

2.

Reauthorization and expansion of program of surveillance and education regarding infections associated with injection drug use

Section 317N of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–15) is amended to read as follows:

317N.

Surveillance and education regarding infections associated with injection drug use

(a)

In general

The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may (directly and through grants to public and nonprofit private entities) provide for programs to carry out the following activities:

(1)

To cooperate with the States in implementing a surveillance system to determine the incidence of infections associated with injection drug use and to assist the States in determining the prevalence of such infections, including the reporting of chronic hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus cases.

(2)

To identify, counsel, and offer testing to individuals who are at risk of infections as a result of injection drug use, receiving blood transfusions prior to July 1992, or other risk factors.

(3)

To provide appropriate referrals for counseling, testing, and medical treatment of individuals identified under paragraph (2) and to ensure, to the extent practicable, the provision of appropriate follow-up services.

(4)

To develop and disseminate public information and education programs for the detection and control of infections associated with injection drug use, with priority given to high-risk populations as determined by the Secretary.

(5)

To improve the education, training, and skills of health professionals in the detection and control of infections associated with injection drug use, with priority given to substance use disorder treatment providers, pediatricians, other primary care providers, and obstetrician-gynecologists.

(b)

Laboratory procedures

The Secretary may (directly and through grants to public and nonprofit private entities) carry out programs to provide for improvements in the quality of clinical-laboratory procedures regarding infections associated with injection drug use.

(c)

Definitions

In this section, the term injection drug use means—

(1)

intravenous administration of a substance in schedule I under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act;

(2)

intravenous administration of a substance in schedule II, III, IV, or V under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act that has not been approved for intravenous use under—

(A)

section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; or

(B)

section 351 of the Public Health Service Act; or

(3)

intravenous administration of a substance in schedule II, III, IV, or V under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act that has not been prescribed to the person using the substance.

(d)

Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $40,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

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