Senate Passes Upton's Bipartisan Meningitis, Drug Safety Bill

Press Release

The U.S. Senate today approved bipartisan legislation introduced by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, to improve drug safety and help prevent a future public health crisis like the 2012 deadly fungal meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center (NECC). H.R. 3204, the Drug Quality and Security Act, is the result of a thorough investigation led by Upton's Committee into the cause of the recent public health catastrophe, which has infected 751 individuals and left 64 dead nationwide. By all accounts, Michigan families have been hardest hit by the contamination, totaling 264 cases and 19 deaths, including 3 fatalities from Upton's own district.

The House passed Upton's bill by voice vote on September 28, 2013. H.R. 3204 is expected to be signed into law by President Obama in the near future.

"To the dozens of families who have lost loved ones and to the hundreds who are still suffering today, with this bill we say "never again.' I applaud the Senate's passage of this breakthrough bipartisan legislation and am pleased we are now just one step away from this bill being signed into law to prevent a future public health crisis like last year's deadly fungal meningitis outbreak," said Upton.

"Americans receiving medical treatments must have the peace of mind that their drugs are safe. With this bill we are fortifying the drug supply chain while also cutting needless regulatory red tape that is harming Michigan businesses like Perrigo and Pfizer, creating an environment conducive to growth and job creation."

The first title of H.R. 3204 will protect traditional pharmacies and clarify laws related to human drug compounding in response to the nationwide meningitis outbreak. The bill will clarify the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) authority over the compounding of human drugs while requiring the agency to engage and coordinate with states to ensure the safety of compounded drugs.

The second portion of H.R. 3204 will strengthen the prescription drug supply chain in order to protect American families against counterfeit drugs while eliminating needless government red tape that harms U.S. jobs. The bill will help prevent increases in drug prices, avoid additional drug shortages, and eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars worth of duplicative government regulations that impact Michigan employers like Perrigo and Pfizer.

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