ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has expressed continued support for the direction of drug safety legislation steered by four leaders of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee.
NACDS said Tuesday that it reacted to a discussion draft of legislation released this week by Rep. John Dingell (D., Mich.), chairman emeritus of the House Energy and Commerce Committee; Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.), chairman of the committee; Rep. Frank Pallone (D., N.J.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Health; and Rep. Bart Stupak (D., Mich.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Provisions of the discussion draft that drew support from NACDS include increasing inspections of producers of drugs and active ingredients inside and outside the United States, requiring parity between foreign and domestic inspections, prohibiting the entry of drugs that lack proper safety documentation, and requiring manufacturers to have quality risk management plans.
"Pharmacy is committed to supporting efforts to maintain and enhance the quality and safety of our nation’s drug supply. Nothing is more important to pharmacy than the health and safety of patients, and we take this obligation very seriously," NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson said in a statement. "This draft bill includes a focus on strong steps that would be effective in further enhancing prescription drug safety. NACDS thanks these leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for their vigilance, and NACDS will remain actively engaged in the discussion and work of advancing patient safety."
NACDS added that the new discussion draft builds on legislation introduced in January 2009 in the opening days of the current 111th Congress. The association said it supported the portions of that legislation related to the safety of prescription drugs and the security of the drug supply chain.
