Tom Harkin: “today, with final passage of the Drug Quality and Security Act, we have helped to ensure the safety of compounded drug…”

“today, with final passage of the Drug Quality and Security Act, we have helped to ensure the safety of compounded drug products and secure the pharmaceutical supply chain. We have clarified the law governing traditional compounding and created a new source of high-quality compounded products for hospitals and other providers who need large volumes of compounded drugs. We have also set in motion a revolution in the distribution of pharmaceuticals--within a decade we will know exactly how our drug products travel through the often-complicated distribution system so that we can identify counterfeit and adulterated drugs before they get into American medicine cabinets. By passing the Drug Quality and Security Act, we have taken an important step to improve American families' access to lifesaving drugs and medical devices. The bipartisan process that produced this bill has been quite remarkable. I have worked closely with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol, as well as industry stakeholders, patient groups, and consumer groups, to solicit ideas and improvements on the critical provisions in this bill. We have a better product thanks to everyone's input. I would like to extend a special thank you to my colleague, Ranking Member Alexander. I have been working with Senator Alexander on this since he became ranking member, and it has been a wonderful and cooperative partnership.…”