Political Quotes

“I thank both the chair and the ranking member. This is a very important discussion to have, both with regard to devices and also with regard to drugs. We know that there are treatments that are available overseas. I represent a district with, by the way, one of the largest veterinary hospitals in our country, Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and I can tell you that there are actually treatments, advance treatments available today for animals with cancer, like horses, that are not yet approved for humans and are lifesaving. If we can provide access in a shortened timeframe--I understand that while medical devices might cost $30 million to $100 million to bring to market, drugs often cost over $1 billion to bring to market. There are additional opportunities, by the way, in making sure that, as part of this provisional process, at least with regard to drugs, the data can be gathered, too. So it can serve a dual function and might, at the same time complying with some of the needs or an updating of the needs of some of the phases of FDA efficacy trials, it can actually be available through a market-oriented plan where people, consumers who are fully informed and, of course, to whom no health claims have been made, can choose to purchase the product, just as they can today, by the way, but they have to buy it overseas and import it for their own personal use. I have constituents who do that. But I think we can facilitate that process.…”