H-4131.1          _______________________________________________

                             HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4037

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives Sherstad, Cody, H. Sommers, Thompson, Elliot, Skinner and D. Schmidt

Read first time 01/23/96.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Memorializing the facilitation and approval of new drugs.

     TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

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

     WHEREAS, The key to improved health care, especially for persons with serious unmet medical needs, is the rapid approval of safe and effective new drugs, biological products, and medical devices; 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, Current limitations on the dissemination of information about pharmaceutical products reduce the availability of information to physicians, other health care professionals, and patients, and unfairly limit the right of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; and

     WHEREAS, The current rules and practices governing the review of new drugs, biological products, and medical devices by the United States Food and Drug Administration can delay approvals and are unnecessarily expensive;

     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress of the United States 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.

     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.

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