EON

Washington (eCanadaNow) – The U.S. Senate Wednesday approved a bill overhauling the national drug safety system to fix significant problems.

“The Senate should be congratulated for passing reforms to ensure patients and doctors know more about the risks of their medicines,” said Bill Vaughan, senior policy advisor for Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports. “The leadership of Senators Kennedy and Enzi on drug safety reform has been invaluable to getting this through the Senate.”

“The Senate should be congratulated for passing reforms to ensure patients and doctors know more about the risks of their medicines,” said Bill Vaughan, senior policy advisor for Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports. “The leadership of Senators Kennedy and Enzi on drug safety reform has been invaluable to getting this through the Senate.”

“Too many lives have been lost because the FDA has been too slow to act, or didn’t have the power to change a warning label or require a follow-up safety study. It’s now up to the House to get the strongest possible reforms approved so patients can have faith in the medicines they take each day,” Vaughan added.

The 93-1 vote is the first significant step toward a revision that would include increased powers for the Food and Drug Administration, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The bill proposes the FDA be granted additional powers to push drug companies to react appropriately to problems. It also calls for a new computerized system oriented toward avoiding medication problems.

At the heart of our proposal is a modern system for improving patient safety — not through additional layers of bureaucracy, but through a flexible structure that emphasizes … surveillance, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said.

The bill now goes to the House where the Times said several of its provisions will likely be strengthened.