Congress Should Pass Pediatric Drug Testing Bill, Washington Post Editorial States
Members of Congress should "find a way" to pass legislation that would require all drugs to be tested in children, a Washington Post editorial states. Noting that a federal judge earlier this month overturned an FDA rule requiring drug makers to test new drugs and some already on the market for safety and efficacy in children, the Post states that Congress should "step in" and pass a Senate bill (S 2394) that would "write the pediatric testing rule into law" (Washington Post, 10/29). The bill, sponsored by Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) and Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), would also require drug companies, based on the results of the tests, to place labels on the treatments that provide instructions on use in children or warnings against pediatric use (California Healthline, 8/5). While critics of the measure say it would "impose a burden that could delay or deter the development of new drugs," the Post notes that there is "little evidence to back up that claim." The editorial concludes, "When they need medicine, children deserve the assurance that they are getting it in doses that are safe and effective for them. Congress should act in support of that goal" (Washington Post, 10/29).
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