1-1 By: Moncrief S.C.R. No. 34 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 1997; March 4, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; 1-4 April 24, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 10, 1-5 Nays 0; April 24, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, Improving patient access to quality health care is a 1-8 paramount national goal; and 1-9 WHEREAS, The key to improved health care, especially for 1-10 persons with serious unmet medical needs, is the rapid approval of 1-11 safe and effective new drugs, biological products, and medical 1-12 devices; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Minimizing the delay between discovery and eventual 1-14 approval of a new drug, biological product, or medical device 1-15 derived from research conducted by innovative pharmaceutical and 1-16 biotechnology companies could improve the lives of millions of 1-17 Americans; and 1-18 WHEREAS, Current limitations on the dissemination of 1-19 information about pharmaceutical products reduce the availability 1-20 of information to physicians, other health care professionals, and 1-21 patients and unfairly limit the right of free speech guaranteed by 1-22 the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; and 1-23 WHEREAS, The current rules and practices governing the review 1-24 of new drugs, biological products, and medical devices by the 1-25 United States Food and Drug Administration can delay approvals and 1-26 are unnecessarily expensive; now, therefore, be it 1-27 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-28 respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to address this 1-29 important issue by enacting comprehensive legislation to facilitate 1-30 the rapid review and approval of innovative new drugs, biological 1-31 products, and medical devices, without compromising patient safety 1-32 or product effectiveness; and, be it further 1-33 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be prepared and 1-34 forwarded by the Texas secretary of state to the President of the 1-35 United States, the Speaker of the United States House of 1-36 Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and to 1-37 all members of the Texas delegation to the Congress with the 1-38 request that this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record 1-39 as a memorial to the Congress of the United States. 1-40 * * * * *