Final answer:
The HF 2377: Iowa Opioid Bill Requirements is True and addresses new opioid prescribing requirements to help combat the opioid epidemic. It includes measures like electronic prescriptions to tackle the abuse of opioids such as oxycodone and fentanyl.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the HF 2377: Iowa Opioid Bill Requirements refers to new opioid prescribing requirements is True. The bill is aimed at curtailing the opioid epidemic by introducing stricter controls on prescriptions for pain relievers, such as oxycodone, fentanyl, and methadone, among others. This action was taken in response to the alarming increase in drug overdoses from both prescription and illegal opioids. The reforms likely include the adoption of electronic prescriptions, as recommended in a 2017 article by A. Gawande in the Annals of Surgery, helping to reduce the abuse of opioids.
Amidst the opioid crisis, the illicit production and distribution of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and other compounds by crime syndicates, have exacerbated the problem. A scarcity of prescription pain pills due to more aggressive policing and reformulation led to a rise in the usage of illegal alternatives such as heroin and synthetically manufactured opioids, increasing overdose death rates significantly.