A Congressional committee subpoenaed top Trump administration officials today, demanding documents they allege could show “extensive” pandemic-related political interference at the CDC. In a letter to Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Robert Redfield, House Democrats said an investigation showed that efforts to interfere with […]
U.S. House of Representatives
New bill would provide $75B for PPE, ventilator production
A bill by two progressive Congressional Democrats would provide the federal government with $75 billion to produce or purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical devices to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) are co-sponsoring the bill, which aims to provide the money to the Federal Emergency Management […]
Senate Dems propose federalizing medical supply chain
Senate Democrats today introduced a bill that would put control of the nation’s medical supply chain in the hands of the federal government, using its expertise in military production and distribution to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Medical Supply Delivery and Transparency Act would require the secretary of defense to appoint a civilian with experience […]
House passes “right to try” bill allowing use of experimental drugs for terminally ill patients
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill aiming to expand the “right to try” experimental drugs, sending the bill, which is backed by President Trump, to the Senate. The bill would allow terminally ill patients access to investigational drugs drugs that haven’t been approved by the FDA, according to a report from The […]
US House bill aims to improve patent protection
A new bill in the US House of Representatives aims to improve protection for patent owners, making patent injunctions easier and invalidation of patents more difficult. Introduced by Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and Rep Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), the new Support Technology and Research for Our Nations Growth and Economic Resilience bill, known as the STRONGER […]
House approves FDA fast track for battlefield treatments
The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday approved a measure that would create a fast track at the FDA for medical devices and drugs intended for treating battlefield injuries, a day after passing a nearly $700 billion defense policy bill that would have allowed Defense Dept. to approve the treatments without the FDA’s participation. That provision […]
Paulsen to serve on Ways & Means Health subcommittee
Author of multiple medical device tax repeal bills, Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) will now serve as a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, according to a press released published today. The Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health covers legislation related to programs providing payments for health care, health delivery systems, or health research, including […]
House advances reconciliation bill to dismantle Obamacare
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means said yesterday it is advancing legislation targeting the Affordable Care Act with a provision to repeal the medical device tax. The legislation will operate through a budget tool known as “reconciliation” which will allow the bill to pass through the senate with a simple majority vote. […]