DeGette Lauds House Passage Of Compounding Drug Bill That Improves Safety Of Drug Supply Chain

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1) lauded passage of H.R. 3204 The Drug Quality and Security Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill was the result of intensive bipartisan, bicameral efforts to help ensure the safety of compounding drugs and help save patients’ lives. DeGette and her colleagues, Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), led those efforts in the House after a series of hearings last Fall in the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations into the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 and sickened over 750. The outbreak was linked to tainted steroid injections from the New England Compounding Center (NECC), and the hearings demonstrated the critical need for better oversight of the compounding pharmacy system.

“The deadly fungal meningitis outbreak that sickened hundreds across the United States last year represented a tragic failure of the compounding drug manufacturing system and made clear we must have a stronger and more effective regulatory framework to oversee that system,” said DeGette. “That is why today I am so proud of the passage of the Drug Quality and Security Act. Earlier this month my friends and colleagues Congressmen Griffith and Green introduced legislation that ultimately served as a foundation for the bill that passed today. This bipartisan, bicameral bill will take important steps forward to develop a more robust regulatory framework that can save people’s lives.

“The bill that passed today also demonstrates that we can indeed come together on a bipartisan basis to tackle serious issues and help the American people, and I urge all my colleagues in the House and the U.S. Senate to apply this same cooperation to our nation’s serious challenges.

“I know Reps. Griffith and Green join me in looking forward to this bill becoming law and to continuing to work to ensure we take every step possible to secure the compounding drug manufacturing chain, and protect the lives of American patients.”

The bill passed the House overwhelmingly by voice vote this afternoon. It now goes to the Senate where passage is expected as well.