The House today passed significant reforms to the Food and Drug Administration’s drug safety review system. Part of a comprehensive FDA bill, the bill was a compromise between Senate and House legislation that passed overwhelmingly earlier this year. The bill, which includes strong consumer protections, will be voted on in the Senate tomorrow.

The California Assembly Health Committee passed the Pharmaceutical Drug Information and Safety Act, SB 606 (Scott), today with all members present voting in favor of the bill. The measure will require pharmaceutical companies to disclose the results of clinical studies, meaning that doctors, patients, researchers and even industry competitors will gain access to information on the side effects and effectiveness of medicine currently on the market.

A comprehensive FDA bill that includes prescription drug safety reforms is scheduled to go to the House floor “under suspension” this Wednesday. U.S. PIRG urges lawmakers to pass the bill.

U.S. PIRG urges Congress to allocate more money for drug safety.

Doctors and patients are one step closer to getting information on the effectiveness and side effects of medicines.

As the state legislature considers smoke free legislation to protect public health, WISPIRG released a new report confirming smoke free policies have accomplished that goal without harming local economies.

At a State House news conference, MASSPIRG joined The Massachusetts Prescription Reform Coalition in launching an effort to lower health care costs through reforming the prescription drug industry.

“Governor Schwarzenegger’s health care proposal has taken several important steps forward by recognizing the need to regulate some of the worst practices of health care insurers."

President Bush today signed a comprehensive Food and Drug Administration bill that focuses on prescription drug safety reforms.

The legislature enacted and sent to the Governor last night a Health Care Cost Control Bill that will begin to reign in aggressive and inappropriate marketing tactics by drug companies and medical device companies.

Statement of Laura Etherton, OSPIRG Advocate

CALPIRG Health Care Advocate Michael Russo testified today at a Department of Managed Care hearing in Irvine, calling for the enactment of new regulations to protect patients from balance billing.

MASSPIRG praised the action of the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday April 17, who adopted much needed prescription drug marketing reforms as part of the Senate President’s Health Care Cost Control Bill, S. 2650, An Act to Promote Cost Containment, Transparency and Efficiency in the Delivery of Quality Health Care.

CALPIRG released a new analysis today examining drug companies’ self-imposed limits on their marketing to doctors – efforts that include lavish wining-and-dining and thousands of dollars worth of gifts.