On January 28, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing, “Attacking America’s Epidemic of Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse.” The hearing addressed several issues surrounding the epidemic of drug abuse, including the use of heroin and prescribed opioids by pregnant women.
Michael Botticelli, director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, noted that “When used chronically by pregnant women, both prescription opioids and heroin can cause withdrawal symptoms in newborns at birth; if these opioids were withdrawn during pregnancy, fetal harm could result.”
The following witnesses also testified:
