Assembly Health Committee Votes To Approve Bill To Create Prescription Drug Report Card
The Assembly Health Committee on Thursday voted to approve a bill (AB 2326) that would require the Department of Managed Health Care to create a report card to rate prescription drugs' safety and effectiveness, the Oakland Tribune reports. The bill, sponsored by Assembly member Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro), would require health care professionals to develop the report card, which would be posted on DMHC's Web site. In addition, the bill would require DMHC to notify other state agencies about the report card. The report card would be targeted at patients, providers and large-volume prescription drug purchasers. According to Corbett aide Pete Hartnett, the bill would require DMHC would be required to evaluate prescription drugs with regard to safety and efficacy using evidence-based reports. To make it easier to locate information, data in the report card would be grouped according to drug classes, Hartnett said. The legislation is supported by the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and advocacy groups Consumers Union, California Alliance for Retired Americans and Senior Action Network (Oakland Tribune, 4/18).
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