Bill to Address Safety of Imported Drugs Introduced in Senate
On February 10, 2011, Senator Snowe (R)1 introduced the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2011, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation of prescription drugs, and for other purposes (S. 319).
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Bill Would Provide FDA with Funding
According to Snowe, S. 319 would not only address the safety of imports, but would also provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the resources to improve inspection of foreign drug plants - many of which produce medications marketed here by U.S. firms which consumers assume to be “domestic.”
Inspection and Regulation of Foreign Drug Plants
The bill would require foreign drug plants to be inspected and regulated by FDA. The bill includes incentives to improve drug safety, such as anti-counterfeiting technologies, drug ”pedigrees,” and improved regulation and oversight of the handling of prescription drugs.
1There are 17 bipartisan cosponsors