Political Quotes

“2 years ago, an advisory committee of the FDA sat down to judge painkiller drugs and whether they were safe to sell to America. They made the recommendation that selling Vioxx to America was safe. Ten of the members of that advisory committee had a financial conflict of interest when they made the decision. Had those 10 members with the conflict not been there, the panel would not have recommended keeping those drugs on the market. This amendment Senator Bingaman and I offer will take the conflict of interest out of the advisory committees. We will allow one waiver for someone with a conflict of interest, and we will say that others who participate as guest experts have to leave the room before any deliberation or vote. We will hear from the other side that the Food and Drug Administration has an idea of how they are going to change this rule at some future time. This is not an idea we are proposing, it is a law--a law to protect the integrity of the advisory committees and the drugs and medical devices which are sold across America. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.”