Tyler’s Law

Key Provisions

• Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to complete a study within three years on fentanyl or fentanyl-related substance testing in hospital emergency departments.
• The study would examine how often hospitals test for these substances, situations where they don't test, the costs, benefits, risks, staff training needs, and how testing affects patient privacy, health information security, and the patient-health care professional relationship.
• The study would also identify barriers hospitals face in implementing fentanyl or fentanyl-related substance testing and suggest solutions.
• Requires the Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to issue guidance within nine months after the study, advising whether hospitals should routinely test for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances in overdose patients.
• The guidance would also cover how hospitals can ensure staff know what substances are being tested for, how testing might affect future overdose risk and health outcomes, and available federal resources to help hospitals implement testing.