Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2005

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005 -- (House of Representatives - September 08, 2004)

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 754 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 5006.

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AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

The Clerk read as follows:

Amendment offered by Mr. Allen:

At the end of title II (before the short title), insert the following:

SEC. __. For research on outcomes of health care items and services (including the comparative clinical effectiveness of prescription drugs), as authorized by section 1013 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173), $50,000,000.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on this amendment.

The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Ohio reserves a point of order.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, when Americans turn on their televisions today, they are inundated by television advertisements promoting particular prescription drugs. Doctors are overwhelmed by detailers from the pharmaceutical industry coming to praise the virtues of the particular drugs that are manufactured by the people who employ them. But what patients and physicians in this country really need is quality information, evidence-based information about the comparative effectiveness of different drugs that are advertised to treat the same illness or condition.

The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act provides for research on outcomes of health care items and services, including the comparative clinical effectiveness of prescription drugs. Today I am pleased to join my colleague from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) in offering an amendment to fund that provision in the new Medicare law.

Section 1013 of the new Medicare law authorizes $50 million in fiscal year 2004 for the Agency For Health Care Research and Quality to conduct outcomes research on prescription drugs and other treatments. Unfortunately, the President's fiscal year 2005 budget contained no funding for this initiative. Currently, there really is a dearth of evidence-based information available to assist practitioners in choosing the most appropriate medication for their patients.

The $50 million we seek would fund new research and literature surveys to improve scientific evidence about the comparative effectiveness and safety of prescription drugs and other treatments. Additionally, funds would be used to communicate the results of this research to health care practitioners, health care purchasers and consumers. All we are asking is for better information to be available to doctors and patients. And if we can make that better information, independent research not funded by the pharmaceutical industry, if we make that information available, we will have better health care quality in this country; and we will have lower prices as well. It is very important that we ensure that our prescription drug spending is not based on the latest television or glossy magazine advertisement, but on science-based and tested information.

Physicians and their patients need access to credible, unbiased, evidence-based data on the comparative effectiveness of prescription drugs so they can make informed decisions about their purchases. As the cost of health care continues to rise, obtaining the greatest health care value is essential. More objective research will improve the quality of care and help to reduce costs.

This spring, Members from both sides of the aisle joined me in sending a letter to the chairman and ranking member urging $75 million for this provision. In addition, the Senate approved an amendment in support of $75 million for prescription drug comparative effectiveness studies, indicating the high level of bipartisan support for this initiative.

I do hope that the chairman agrees that this provision, which has been authorized, is a worthy initiative. I look forward to working with him and the committee to provide some funding in conference and to encourage the administration to add money for this purpose in next year's budget.

Though I would urge support for this amendment, I do intend to withdraw the amendment, but first I would like to give an opportunity to my friend from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) to speak on it.

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Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Maine?

There was no objection.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
I appreciate the fact that the gentleman is withdrawing the amendment. I think it has been a good discussion about what is a continuing problem. We have recognized it to some extent by putting 12 million plus or minus in AHRQ to do this very thing, and it is something we should keep in mind in the future. But the problem here is there is no offset for the $50 million. I think the intention is good, but this has been a tough bill to make all the dollars fit.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. I yield to the gentleman from Maine.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his comments.

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