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.

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