ALERT Communities Act

This bill aims to make drug test strips easier to use and trust, to help prevent overdoses in communities. It lets federal training grants cover teaching first responders and community partners to carry and provide access to fentanyl and xylazine test strips. It also directs health agencies to set clear standards and guidance for companies that make these strips, including paths to get them authorized, with a focus on tests that can be used in clinics to guide on-the-spot care. The government must also study whether wider access to test strips reduces overdoses and helps people enter treatment, and report back within two years. A “test strip” here means a quick, single-use tool that detects dangerous substances like fentanyl, xylazine, other synthetic opioids, or new emerging drugs, either in other drugs or in a person’s sample. A summary from the Library of Congress notes these steps are meant to expand development and use of such strips to detect hazardous drugs and support overdose response efforts.

Key points

• Who is affected: First responders, community groups, health providers, and test strip makers.
• What changes: Training funds can cover carrying and sharing test strips; federal health agencies must publish standards and authorization guidance for test strips; a national study on test strip impact is required.
• When: The study’s report to Congress is due within two years of the law taking effect.