Bill > SB740

This bill, the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, establishes a dedicated fund and an advisory council to address suicide among veterans by supporting research and implementation of specific treatments. The Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Fund will provide ongoing financial support for clinical research and the use of "FDA Breakthrough Therapies," which are experimental drugs designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as having the potential to treat serious conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression (TRD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI), conditions that disproportionately affect veterans and increase suicide risk. The fund will be used for various purposes, including forming partnerships to fund large-scale clinical trials (Phase III trials), supporting research initiated by doctors, creating a "compassionate use" program allowing access to these therapies for patients with life-threatening conditions, training mental health professionals, piloting patient access programs, and studying how to best implement these treatments cost-effectively. To guide the use of these funds, the bill also establishes the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Advisory Council, composed of individuals with expertise in relevant medical fields and veteran care, which will advise the Department of Health on grant funding and contracting. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Board of Pharmacy will update its regulations to match federal changes in the classification of controlled substances for any FDA Breakthrough Therapies within 30 days of federal notification.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB740