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1997 SESSION

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973718685
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 314 Senate Amendments in [ ] -- February 4, 1997 Memorializing Congress to enact legislation to facilitate [ safely ] the Food and Drug Administration's procedures for the approval of [ safe and effective innovative ] new drugs, biological products or medical devices. ----------
Patrons-- Houck, Barry, Benedetti, Colgan, Earley, Gartlan, Holland, Howell, Lambert, Marye, Miller, K.G., Miller, Y.B., Reasor, Waddell and Walker; Delegates: Abbitt, Armstrong, Deeds, Dickinson, Heilig, Keating, Melvin, Morgan and Thomas
---------- Referred to the Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, improving patient access to quality health care is a paramount national goal; and

WHEREAS, a key to improved health care, especially for people with serious unmet medical needs, is the rapid approval of safe and effective new drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and

WHEREAS, two-thirds of all new drugs approved in the last six years by the Food and Drug Administration were approved first in other countries, with approval of a new drug in the United States taking 15 years; and

WHEREAS, although the United States has long led the world in discovering new drugs, too many new medicines are first introduced in other countries, with 40 drugs currently approved in one or more foreign countries still in development in the United States or awaiting FDA approval; and

WHEREAS, [ the patient is patients are ] waiting for the industry to discover and efficiently develop safe and effective new medicines sooner; and

WHEREAS, minimizing the delay between discovery and eventual approval of a new drug, biological product, or medical device derived from research conducted by innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies could improve the lives of millions of Americans; and

WHEREAS, the current rules and practices governing the review of new drugs, biological products, and medical devices by the Food and Drug Administration can delay approvals and are unnecessarily expensive; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That [ the General Assembly respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to address this important issue by enacting comprehensive legislation to facilitate the rapid review and approval of innovative new drugs, biological products, and medical devices, without compromising patient safety or product effectiveness; and, be it Congress be urged to enact legislation to facilitate the Food and Drug Administration's procedures for the approval of safe and effective innovative new drugs, biological products and medical devices; and, be it ]

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, [ the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives ] , and to each member of the Virginia Delegation to the United States Congress [ in order that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly in this matter ] .