PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 23, 2002
Veterans Safe Medications Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe a policy for use by health care providers and pharmacies of the Department of Veterans Affairs of the practice of prescribing or dispensing tablet medication in a form that requires tablet splitting by the patient. Mandates that such policy shall allow tablet splitting only if: (1) a health care professional has determined that the patient has the mental and physical ability to use a tablet splitter; (2) the tablets are in a form referred to as "scored"; (3) the tablets are not sustained-release; (4) the tablets are intended to be taken every 48 hours or more frequently; and (5) an effective tablet splitter has been provided to the patient.Directs the Secretary to require that any adverse events directly attributable to tablet splitting be reported to the Under Secretary of Health on a monthly basis. Requires the Under Secretary to establish a national formulary of medications that have been approved for tablet splitting.
People & committees
Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3] · D–MD
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 19, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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