1.1                             A resolution
  1.2             memorializing the President and Congress to amend the 
  1.3             federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public 
  1.4             Health Service Act to facilitate the development and 
  1.5             approval of new drugs and biologics. 
  1.6      
  1.7      WHEREAS, improving patient access to quality health care is 
  1.8   a 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 
  1.11  of safe and effective new drugs, biological products, and 
  1.12  medical devices; and 
  1.13     WHEREAS, minimizing the delay between discovery and 
  1.14  eventual approval of a new drug, biological product, or medical 
  1.15  device derived from research conducted by innovative 
  1.16  pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies could improve the 
  1.17  lives of millions of Americans; and 
  1.18     WHEREAS, current limitations on the dissemination of 
  1.19  information about pharmaceutical products reduce the 
  1.20  availability of information to physicians, other health care 
  1.21  professionals and patients, and unfairly limit the right of free 
  1.22  speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States 
  1.23  Constitution; and 
  1.24     WHEREAS, the current rules and practices governing the 
  1.25  review of new drugs, biological products, and medical devices by 
  2.1   the United States Food and Drug Administration can delay 
  2.2   approvals and are unnecessarily expensive; NOW, THEREFORE, 
  2.3      BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota 
  2.4   that it respectfully urges the Congress of the United States to 
  2.5   speedily enact comprehensive legislation to facilitate the rapid 
  2.6   review and approval of innovative new drugs, biological 
  2.7   products, and medical devices, without compromising patient 
  2.8   safety or product effectiveness. 
  2.9      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the 
  2.10  State of Minnesota is directed to prepare copies of this 
  2.11  memorial and transmit them to the President of the United 
  2.12  States, the President and Secretary of the United States Senate, 
  2.13  the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of 
  2.14  Representatives, and each member of the United States Senate and 
  2.15  the United States House of Representatives.