International Trade Today is a service of Warren Communications News.

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).

Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article

If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.

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