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DeLauro Statement on Trump’s Promise to Speed up Drug Approvals

January 31, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC (January 31, 2017) Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today slammed President Donald Trump's announcement that he plans to cut regulations and speed up the drug approval process at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as allow pharmaceutical companies to increase the prices of life saving medicines in foreign countries for people that can least afford it. DeLauro has long fought for increased oversight of the nation's drug approval process, which has the power to ensure that drugs are both safe and effective for the American people.

"President Trump's promise to cut regulations and speed up the drug approval process at the FDA is a dangerous idea. Millions of Americans across the country rely on the FDA to ensure that the drugs that they take each day are safe and effective," said DeLauro. "These regulations are in place for a reason. When lives are at stake, it is an outrage that President Trump would consider putting the profits of pharmaceutical corporations ahead of safety."

"While President Trump should be focused on lowering the cost of prescription medications, it should not come at the expense of increasing prices in foreign markets. While the President claims that these protections would help American drug makers increase their profits to reinvest in innovation, the reality is that such a move would likely extend monopoly protections for pharmaceutical corporations. Our trade policy should ensure that everyone can access to life-saving medicine, not lock-in higher prices here at home and around the world," continued DeLauro.

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published just last year showed that the FDA lacks fundamental resources and leadership in ensuring that drugs brought to market quickly through expedited pathways are truly safe and effective. Specifically, the report found that the FDA is not doing its due diligence in tracking drug safety issues and post market studies that are critical in ensuring patient safety. Further weakening the drug approval process at the FDA could exacerbate this issue.