|
Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, gave the following statement today during floor debate on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Amendments Act (H.R. 2900).
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of this legislation. I am extremely proud to say that the bill before us is a product of a bipartisan effort to ensure that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority and resources it needs to ensure American consumers have timely access to safe and effective prescription drugs and medical devices.
"Mr. Speaker, this bill accomplishes a number of important goals. First and foremost, this legislation will empower the FDA to protect patients from potentially harmful prescription drugs. Over the past few years, it has become clear that consumers have been placed in harm’s way due to the failing of our current drug safety system. The legislation we are passing today will lay the ground work for restoring public confidence in the FDA by giving it the tools it needs to safeguard the public health.
"There are many other significant measures included in the bill before us such as the reauthorization of two important user fee programs that will provide the FDA with the financial resources it needs to approve applications for new drugs and devices to be marketed. In addition to new funding for the pre-market review activities of FDA, this bill includes a substantial amount of new funding for post-market safety activities.
"This bill will also reauthorize two important programs that will help encourage drug makers to conduct research into the appropriate use of prescription drugs in pediatric populations. Similarly, we are providing new incentives to device manufacturers to develop products that are specifically designed for the use in children.
"Finally, this bill establishes the Reagan-Udall Foundation, which will help build public-private partnerships designed to advance the mission of the FDA.
"I would like to thank all the members who devoted so many hours and days to developing this bill. Specifically I would like to thank Chairman Dingell, Ranking Member Barton, Mr. Deal, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Markey, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Rogers, and Dr. Burgess, as well as their hard working and devoted staff, for all their efforts in making this bill possible.
"In closing, I will just reiterate that this bill has strong bipartisan support, as well as support from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries and a number of consumer advocacy organizations. Few times in the past do I recall that we have achieved such a wide ranging consensus on a bill of this size or importance. I strongly urge my colleagues to support its passage."
|
