[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 24, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN RECOGNITION OF INTERNATIONAL SELF-CARE DAY

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                          HON. ROBERT E. LATTA

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 24, 2019

  Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, July 24th is recognized as ``International 
Self-Care Day'' to bring attention to the importance of advancing 
public health through effective and safe self-care. Over-the-counter 
(OTC) products from cold medicines to cures for headaches, play a key 
role in consumer self-care which is evident by widespread use in nearly 
every household across the country. We must do all we can to support 
self-care and to advance lower-cost, safe and effective options for 
American consumers.
  When health care innovation is blocked by government regulations, 
it's patients who lose. Our current process for approving over-the-
counter products is unnecessarily inefficient, leading to higher prices 
and fewer choices for consumers. A problem like this rightfully 
deserves bipartisan solutions, and that's what we have in the Over-the-
Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act. I thank my friend 
from Colorado, Ms. DeGette for working with me for several years on 
H.R. 3443 to reform a broken system and bring new cost-effective OTC 
products to market faster. It's time for the over-the-counter approval 
process to be as modem as the innovations being presented to the FDA.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
value and importance of OTC medicines to promote and achieve self-care 
for families across our nation.

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