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www.fdanews.com/articles/184489-bill-on-use-of-new-drugs-for-soldiers-heads-to-white-house

Bill on Use of New Drugs for Soldiers Heads to White House

November 20, 2017

The Senate gave final congressional approval to a bill designed to resolve a dispute involving FDA and the Department of Defense, preserving FDA’s authority over authorizing innovative medical treatments for soldiers while streamlining the process for granting the authorization.

The measure, H.R. 4374, sponsored by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore was drafted because of a defense authorization bill working its way through Congress that contains a provision that would give the DoD authority to administer unapproved drugs to soldiers. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb objected to the provision as a threat to the established process for drug approvals, with its attendant safeguards.

The Walden bill was drafted to address those concerns while providing for the faster approvals that the DoD wants. Congress adopted a rule requiring passage of the Walden legislation before final voting on the defense authorization bill.

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