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Foxx votes to strengthen consumer protections
Washington, DC,
September 20, 2007
In a move that enacts new drug-safety measures to protect consumers while also ensuring continued access to ground-breaking drugs, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx yesterday voted for legislation (HR 3580) to reform the Food and Drug Administr
Contact: Aaron Groen Bill bolsters FDA monitoring of prescription drugs, ensures access to lifesaving drugs In a move that enacts new drug-safety measures to protect consumers while also ensuring continued access to ground-breaking drugs, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx yesterday voted for legislation (HR 3580) to reform the Food and Drug Administration’s oversight of the market for new drugs. “Protecting North Carolina consumers from potentially dangerous prescription drugs is vitally important,” Foxx said. “This legislation puts new safeguards in place that will make the marketplace for new drugs even more safe and secure. It puts patients in the driver’s seat by giving average consumers access to clinical trial information and placing important restrictions on false or misleading pharmaceutical advertising.” The bill, which passed with broad bi-partisan support, gives the FDA new enforcement powers such as the ability to force drug companies to change labels on prescription drugs and fine non-compliant companies. It also creates a public, searchable database of clinical drug trials that will include important information on the safety risks of specific drugs. “This legislation makes the millions of North Carolinians who depend on safe and effective prescription drugs a priority,” Foxx said. “By empowering the FDA to take an even closer look at new drug applications we are taking important steps to keep risky drugs off the market.” HR 3580 seeks to protect consumers from potentially harmful side-effects of new prescription drugs and ensure that consumers are not misled by prescription drug advertising. The bill passed the House 405-7 and now moves to the Senate for consideration. ### |