H.R. 8192

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8192 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8192

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue 
guidelines for the purpose of addressing the problem of nitazene 
overdoses, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 2, 2026

Mr. Taylor introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue 
guidelines for the purpose of addressing the problem of nitazene 
overdoses, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Nitazene Response Act''.

SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE IN RESPONDING TO NITAZENE OVERDOSES.

(a) Guidelines.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall issue 
updated, evidence-based clinical guidelines (in this section 
referred to as the ``guidelines'') for responding to nitazene 
overdoses.
(2) Contents.--The guidelines shall contain--
(A) a description of best practices for responding 
to potential nitazene overdoses, including protocols 
for administering naloxone;
(B) guidance for emergency departments and 
hospitals in responding to nitazene overdoses;
(C) guidance for rural and volunteer emergency 
medical services systems in responding to nitazene 
overdoses; and
(D) such other information as the Secretary 
determines appropriate.
(3) Publication.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish the 
guidelines on the public internet website of the Department of 
Health and Human Services.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than one year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
containing the guidelines and a description of how the guidelines will 
assist in addressing the problem of nitazene overdoses.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Nitazene.--
(A) In general.--The term ``nitazene'' means 
benzimidazole-opioids, including any substance 
(including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers) 
that has a chemical structure that is substantially 
similar to that of etonitazene or isotonitazene, 
including--
(i) a benzimidazole core substituted at the 
2-position with a benzyl or substituted benzyl 
group;
(ii) a basic nitrogen-containing side chain 
at the 1-position; and
(iii) exhibits agonist activity at the mu-
opioid receptor.
(B) Included substances.--The term ``nitazene'' 
includes, at a minimum, the following: etonitazene, 
clonitazene, metonitazene, isotonitazene, 
protonitazene, butonitazene, etodesnitazene, 
flunitazene, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene, N-desethyl 
isotonitazene, and N-piperidinyl etonitazene.
(2) Nitazene overdose.--The term ``nitazene overdose'' 
means an overdose involving nitazene or any other ultra-potent 
synthetic opioid.
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