Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act

Senate Bill

S. 2737

119th Congress

Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act

In Committee

Introduced:Sep 9, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Tommy Hawley Tuberville

Senator

Republican

AL

Cosponsors

1

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Health

Summary

This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study a certain type of drug trial methodology for opioid painkillers. The goal is to determine whether this 'enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal' approach is effective at demonstrating how well opioid drugs can treat chronic pain.

Latest Action

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

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study a certain type of drug trial methodology for opioid painkillers. The goal is to determine whether this 'enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal' approach is effective at demonstrating how well opioid drugs can treat chronic pain.

Last updated: 12/29/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

FDA Review of Efficacy of EERW Double-Blinds of Opioids Act or the FREED of Opioids Act This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take certain actions to determine whether to permit the use of a certain methodology for drug clinical trials. Specifically, the FDA must seek to contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for the NAS to conduct a study on the effectiveness of using enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal methodology in demonstrating the efficacy of opioid drugs in treating chronic pain. The FDA must also convene a meeting of two specified FDA advisory committees to review the NAS study, vote on whether to permit the use of this methodology in drug clinical trials, and review the appropriateness of labeling on approved opioid drugs in relation to this methodology.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The bill directs the FDA to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study the effectiveness of 'enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal' trials for opioid drugs.
The FDA must convene an advisory committee meeting to review the study findings and vote on whether to allow this trial methodology for opioid drug approvals.
The advisory committee will also review the appropriateness of current opioid drug labels in relation to this trial approach.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If passed, this bill would affect the drug approval process for opioid painkillers. It could lead to changes in how clinical trials are conducted and how opioid drugs are labeled, which could impact patients and healthcare providers who prescribe and use these medications to manage chronic pain.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Health

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

2737, 119th Congress (2025). "Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-2737