Around the world, illegitimate drugs, whether fake, falsified, or substandard, pose a significant threat to patients. While many think of illegitimate drugs as a problem unique to developing countries, over the last few years, the United States has seen numerous incidences of these illegitimate medications making their way into the legitimate supply chain and into the hands of patients. Over the last few weeks, both the House and Senate have demonstrated strong commitments to strengthening our supply chain and protecting patients through the development of national track-and-trace standards.
In the Senate, Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Alexander, and Senators Bennet and Burr submitted draft legislation to the Committee on Health, Education, and Pensions. In reference to the need for national track-and-trace standards, Senator Bennet remarked, “Over the past few years, we’ve had a record number of recalls and reports of tainted or ineffective drugs reaching our hospitals and drug store shelves. In fact, right now, we know more from a barcode on a gallon of milk than from a barcode on a bottle of pills, which could mean the difference between life and death.” This bipartisan move represents a promising step toward the kinds of standards necessary to ensure patients receive safe and effective medicines. However, the Senate isn’t the only side of Congress recognizing this critical need...
