Cliff Stearns: “I rise today to bring our colleagues' attention to the FDA's proposed policy that would deny asthma patients the…”

“I rise today to bring our colleagues' attention to the FDA's proposed policy that would deny asthma patients the medicines they need to help them breathe. I and the gentleman from New Jersey expect to propose a resolution urging the FDA and the EPA to postpone action on this matter. Mr. Speaker, 30 million people in the United States today rely on these medications and as each of us know, some better than others, these people use a product called a metered dose inhaler, which I will refer to as MDI, to deliver the medications they need into their lungs. Over the past 25 years, we have developed many new treatments for people with asthma, chronic pulmonary disease, and other airway diseases that prevent people from breathing. In fact, there are now 70 different products available in metered dose inhalers. For people who cannot breathe, these products are lifesavers and allow people to lead normal lives. On March 6, 1997, the Food and Drug Administration surprisingly issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking that sets in motion a process to take these medications away from patients.”