The FDA has established a Transparency Task Force, and has called for public comment. We certainly applaud this as a hopeful sign. Openness in government is imperative, and prompt disclosure to the public of government activity ensures legitimacy and accountability.
Tag: Congress
Congressional Panel Wants New Review of BPA Safety
As we have reported earlier in Pulse of Health Freedom, chemicals in the packaging, surfaces or contents of many products may cause long-term health effects, including cancers of the breast, brain and testicles; lowered sperm counts, early puberty and other reproductive system defects; diabetes; attention deficit disorder, asthma and autism. A decade ago, the government… Continue reading Congressional Panel Wants New Review of BPA Safety
Nineteen Members of Congress Ask FDA for Official Warning About Mercury in Dental Filling Amalgams
A bipartisan letter authored by Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), and co-signed by congresswomen and men from twelve states, has been sent to the FDA urging them to require clear warnings about mercury toxicity to every dental patient, and to establish specific protections for children and young women.
AAHF Asks Senate Finance Committee to Prioritize Privacy, Transparency, and Independent Research
Last week, AAHF contacted the Senate Finance Committee, which is working on proposals to improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs. We asked committee members to look at two sections in particular: Health Information Technology (HealthIT), and Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER).
Protecting Due Process: Physicians’ Rights in North Carolina
AAHF Legislative Director Tami Wahl has corresponded with the sponsors of the legislation in North Carolina designed to protect the due process rights of physicians during disciplinary hearings. State Rep. Michael Wray has introduced HB1352, and State Sen. Jerry Tillman has introduced SB958.
Attention, Texans and North Carolinians!
Important legislation in both Texas and North Carolina has AAHF gearing up for support efforts.
Comparative Effectiveness Research—Will the Risks as Well as the Benefits Be Considered?
According to the FDA News, a bill to establish a comparative effectiveness research institute is scheduled for introduction in the Senate. The Comparative Effectiveness Research Act of 2008, sponsored by Sens. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Max Baucus (D-MT), would evaluate the effectiveness of different drugs and medical devices that exist for the same treatment. The… Continue reading Comparative Effectiveness Research—Will the Risks as Well as the Benefits Be Considered?
Congress Moves to Ban BPA from Food and Beverage Containers
As we have noted in previous issues of Pulse of Health Freedom, national attention is heating up over the issue of the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA), a common ingredient in some plastics. Studies have linked BPA to breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, heart disease, reproductive damage, and hyperactivity. And a study released last fall… Continue reading Congress Moves to Ban BPA from Food and Beverage Containers
Re-importing US Drugs from Foreign Countries a Good Idea, Says Obama’s Healthcare Reform Team
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) has introduced the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act, S.525, and twenty-four other senators have already become co-signers. A similar House bill has also been introduced. Both bills allow for the re-importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and other countries. American drug manufacturers sell medicines to foreign countries for… Continue reading Re-importing US Drugs from Foreign Countries a Good Idea, Says Obama’s Healthcare Reform Team
The First Step Toward Rationed Care?
Columnist George Will first sounded the alarm on January 28. As he reported, the stimulus legislation now approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama “create(s) a council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. This is about medicine but not about healing the economy. The CER would identify (this is language from the draft report… Continue reading The First Step Toward Rationed Care?