PHARMACEUTICALS

Amendments

FDA: clarify certain responsibilities relative to importation of drugs into the U.S. (H.R. 3240), H5428 [28JN]

Articles and editorials

Ad Blitz Erodes Democrats' Edge on Prescription Drugs, S11290 [27OC]

Bush Hits Gore on Drugs, Taxes, S8631 [15SE]

Canada's Medicine Won't Cure U.S. System, E1104 [23JN]

Complex Drug Labels Bury Safety Message, E1027 [15JN]

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs—An Ethical Perspective, S11532 [14NO]

Dr. Truth, S62 [26JA]

Driving Up Drug Prices, S7908 [27JY]

Drug-Industry Mergers Fail To Boost Research, Development, Study Finds, E973 [12JN]

Genetic Research—Foes of Biotechnology Ignore Global Hunger, S61 [26JA]

Physician and the Pharmaceutical Detail Man—An Ethical Analysis, S11532 [14NO]

Physicians and the Pharmaceutical Industry—Is a Gift Ever Just a Gift?, E418 [27MR]

Prescription Drug Costs—Has Canada Found the Answer?, E1673 [4OC]

Reckonings—Prescription for Failure, E1346 [27JY]

Three-Part Attack on Gore, S8750 [19SE]

What's So Great About Canada's Medical System?, E1460 [13SE]

Who's Afraid of Genetic Engineering?, S60 [26JA]

Who's Teaching the Doctors? Drug Firms Sponsor Required Courses—And See Their Sales Rise, E419 [27MR]

Why the High Cost of Prescription Drugs Is a Problem We Can't Afford To Ignore, H5309 [28JN]

Without Biotechnology, We'll Starve—Agricultural Genetic Engineering Is Subject to More Safeguards Than Many Unaltered Foods We Eat, S61 [26JA]

Bills and resolutions

Animals: increase the availability of drugs for minor species and rare diseases in all animals (see S. 3169), S9944 [5OC] (see H.R. 4780), H5435 [28JN]

Consumers: provide tax credit to retirement age individuals, remove barriers to importation, and prohibit certain regulation of Internet sites relative to prescription drugs (see H.R. 3636), H340 [10FE]

Dept. of Defense: participation of certain Medicare-eligible individuals in pharmacy programs (see H.R. 3697), H510 [16FE]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: dispense medications to veterans for prescriptions written by private practitioners (see S. 2640), S4460 [25MY]

Developing countries: availability of HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and medical technologies in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries (see H.R. 5101), H7210 [27JY]

Drugs: allow importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale and by U.S. citizens for personal use (see S. 2520), S3691 [9MY]

———discrepancy in prescription drug prices between U.S. and foreign countries (see H. Res. 477), H2340 [13AP]

———distribution of prescription drugs (see H.R. 4301), H2338 [13AP]

———enhance competition for prescription drugs by increasing enforcement of existing antitrust laws relative to brand name and generic drugs (see S. 2993), S7840 [27JY] (see H.R. 5235), H7932 [20SE] (see H.R. 5313), H8405 [27SE]

———enhance consumer protection in the purchase of prescription drugs from Internet pharmacies (see S. 3208), S10619 [17OC] (see H.R. 5476), H10036 [17OC]

———extend interstate price discrimination prohibitions to foreign commerce relative to the discrepancy in prescription drug prices between U.S. and foreign countries (see S. 2464), S2940 [26AP] (see H.R. 4869), H6469 [18JY]

———require the U.S. Trade Representative to enter into negotiations to eliminate price controls imposed by certain foreign countries on prescription drugs (see S. 2466), S2940 [26AP] (see H.R. 4764), H5240 [27JN]

———treatment of controlled substances (see H.R. 5326), H8406 [27SE]

FDA: establish restrictions relative to the qualifications of physicians prescribing the abortion drug known as RU-486 (see S. 3157), S9861 [4OC] (see H.R. 5385), H8799 [4OC]

———restrict authority to issue clinical holds on investigational drugs or to deny patients expanded access to such drugs (see H.R. 3677), H509 [16FE]

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: clinically superior modifications to previously approved or licensed drugs (see H.R. 4242), H2122 [11AP]

———provide greater access to affordable pharmaceuticals (see S. 3051), S8585 [14SE] (see H.R. 5247), H7990 [21SE]

Government regulations: abbreviate applications for the approval of new drugs (see H.R. 5231), H7932 [20SE]

Health: create a national voluntary reporting system to continually reduce medical errors and improve patient safety (see S. 2743), S5240 [15JN]

———encourage private-sector distributors of the influenza vaccine to give priority to distributing the available vaccine to individuals at a high risk of developing complications from influenza (see H. Res. 672), H12066 [8DE]

———reduce accidental injury and death resulting from medical mistakes and reduce medication-related errors (see S. 2038), S489 [8FE] (see S. 2738), S5240 [15JN]

———voluntary reporting of medication error information to assist in developing and disseminating recommendations and information on preventing medication errors (see H.R. 3672), H509 [16FE]

Insurance: provide access and choice for use of generic drugs under Federal health care programs (see S. 2501), S3328 [3MY]

Iraq: provide citizens access to U.S. food and medicines (see H.R. 3825), H641 [2MR]

Medicaid: make drug pricing information available to the public (see S. 2963), S7839 [27JY]

Medicare: allow tax deduction for Medigap and Medicare+Choice plans including outpatient prescription drug and long-term care benefits, and establish new Medigap policies including such benefits (see S. 2237), S1392 [9MR]

———coverage of drugs and biologicals (see H.R. 5501), H10472 [19OC]

———coverage of oral drugs to treat low blood calcium levels or elevated parathyroid hormone levels for patients with end stage renal disease (see H.R. 4628), H4174 [9JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (see S. 2758), S5460 [20JN] (see S. 2836), S6257 [30JN] (see S. 3016, 3017), S8197 [7SE] (see S. 3107), S9267 [26SE] (see H.R. 4149), H1674 [3AP] (see H.R. 4607), H4120 [8JN] (see H.R. 4743), H5168 [26JN] (see H.R. 4770), H5240 [27JN] (see H.R. 5151), H7501 [12SE] (see H. Res. 435), H756 [8MR]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs and enhanced preventative benefits (see S. 2541), S3832 [10MY] (see S. 2753), S5360 [19JN]

———coverage of pharmaceutical care services (see H.R. 5140), H7365 [7SE]

———coverage of self-administered drugs that, when used as a replacement for covered drugs, result in overall cost savings to the program (see H.R. 4375), H2511 [3MY]

———create official website that allows beneficiaries to purchase safe and competitively priced domestic and international prescription drugs (see H.R. 5142), H7365 [7SE]

———eliminate time limitation on benefits for immunosuppressive drugs (see S. 2399), S2527 [11AP]

———establish a voluntary plan under which eligible beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for outpatient prescription drugs (see S. 2319), S1884 [29MR]

———establish a voluntary program for low-income beneficiaries to obtain assistance in paying for outpatient prescription drugs (see H.R. 4235), H2121 [11AP]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals (see S. 2644), S4460 [25MY] (see S. 2957), S7839 [27JY]

———improve payments under the Medicare+Choice program (see H.R. 4236), H2122 [11AP]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program (see S. 2905), S7448 [21JY] (see H.R. 5039), H7207 (see H.R. 5099), H7209 [27JY] (see H.R. 5320), H8405 [27SE] (see H.R. 5614), H11781 [1NO]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (see S. 2342), S2106 [4AP] (see S. 2807), S6015 [28JN] (see H.R. 4680), H4591 [15JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), consideration (see H. Res. 539), H5239 [27JN]

———reductions in prescription drug prices for beneficiaries and women with breast cancer (see H.R. 5467), H9900 [12OC]

———revise coverage of immunosuppressive drugs (see H.R. 5276), H8061 [25SE]

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: amend (see H.R. 5327), H8406 [27SE] (see H.R. 5330), H8468 [28SE]

———revise compensation rules for vaccines administered before effective date of such program (see H.R. 5168), H7577 [13SE]

NIH: biomedical research funding (see S. Res. 253), S381 [7FE] (see H. Res. 437), H921 [9MR]

Prices: provide for prices that are fair to the producer and the consumer (see H.R. 4772), H5240 [27JN]

Research: recoupment of a portion of the Federal investment in research and development supporting the production and sale of pharmaceutical, biologic, or genetic products (see H.R. 4705), H4816 [21JN]

Schools: ensure implementation of adequate safeguards before distributing certain prescribed medications to students (see H.R. 4083), H1405 [23MR]

Sudan: provide compensation for injury and property damages as a result of the bombing in Khartoum (see H.R. 5636), H11927 [14NO]

———relief for Salah Idris and El Shifa Pharmaceuticals Industries Co., relative to the bombing of the El Shifa Pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum (see H.R. 5290), H8061 [25SE]

———U.S. Court of Claims consideration of claims for compensation for injury and property damages as a result of the bombing in Khartoum (see H. Res. 668), H11928 [14NO]

Tariff: Exisulind (see S. 2862), S6677 [13JY] (see H.R. 4767), H5240 [27JN]

———HIV/AIDS drugs (see S. 2129, 2130), S1024 [1MR]

———R115777 (see S. 2628), S4379 [24MY]

———rhinovirus drugs (see S. 2131), S1024 [1MR]

———(S)-6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-4-cyclopropylethynyl-4-trifluoromethyl-2(1H)-quinazolinone (see S. 2391), S2526 [11AP]

———(S)-6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-4-E-cyclopropylethynyl-4-trifluoromethyl-2(1H)-quinazolinone (see S. 2392), S2526 [11AP]

Taxation: allow a credit to individuals attaining age 65 for certain drug and health insurance expenses (see H.R. 4234), H2121 [11AP]

———allow a deduction for amounts paid for health insurance and prescription drug costs of individuals (see H.R. 4472), H3172 [16MY]

———allow credit against income tax for research to develop vaccines against widespread diseases and ensure that such vaccines are affordable and widely distributed (see H.R. 5219), H7932 [20SE]

———deny tax benefits for research conducted by pharmaceutical companies where U.S. consumers pay more for products of that research than foreign consumers (see S. 2465), S2940 [26AP] (see H.R. 3665), H454 [15FE]

———impose a discriminatory profits tax on pharmaceutical companies that charge higher prices to domestic wholesale distributors than to foreign wholesale distributors (see S. 3103), S9195 [25SE]

———treatment of certain gifts and benefits provided to physicians by prescription drug manufacturers (see H.R. 4088, 4089), H1405 [23MR]

———treatment of direct-to-consumer advertisements of prescription drugs that fail to provide certain information to the consumer (see H.R. 4686), H4591 [15JN]

Briefs

Medicare+Choice reimbursement system: Minnesota congressional delegation, E1173-E1176 [30JN]

Descriptions

Drug Dealer Liability Act (H.R. 1042), H9536 [10OC]

Excerpts

Court depositions in Chetan Desai, et al. v. Jayaprakash K. Kamath, et al. relative to profits from the sale of chemotherapy drugs, E1578 [25SE]

Executive orders

Access to HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and medical technologies in sub-Saharan African countries: President Clinton, S3802 [10MY]

Factsheets

Voluntary Error Reduction and Improvement in Patient Safety Act (S. 2743), S5269 [15JN]

Invitations

Treatment of diabetic patients: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., E11 [27JA]

Letters

Access to HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and medical technologies in sub-Saharan African countries: President Clinton, S3795 [10MY]

Agricultural products, medicines, and medical products exemption from U.S. economic sanctions: Charles E. Kruse, Missouri Farm Bureau, S10691 [18OC]

———several agricultural organizations, S10691 [18OC]

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Treatment and Assistance Act: Senator Torricelli, S9890 [5OC]

Biotechnology research: several scientists, S63 [26JA]

Buprenorphine use in treating drug addiction: Donna E. Shalala, Sec. of HHS, S9112 [22SE]

Drug Addiction Treatment Act: Representative Bliley, Committee on Commerce (House), H6376 [18JY]

———Representative Hyde, Committee on the Judiciary (House), H6376 [18JY]

Facilitate the importation into the U.S. of certain FDA approved drugs: several Representatives, H5428 [28JN]

FDA investigation of drug manufacturer pricing practices: Representative Stark, E1656 [3OC], E1764 [12OC], E1792 [13OC]

FDA investigation of drug manufacturer pricing practices relative to Medicare and Medicaid: Fred Hassan, Pharmacia Corp., E1883 [23OC]

———Representative Stark, E2033, E2037-E2039 [31OC]

Importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale and by U.S. citizens for personal use: David A. Kessler, S9258 [26SE]

———Michael E. Baroody, National Association of Manufacturers, H9702 [11OC]

———Michael M. Faenza, National Mental Health Association, H9702 [11OC]

———Mike Dugan, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, H9702 [11OC]

———Nancy Sander, Allergy and Asthma Network-Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc., H9703 [11OC]

———Representative Archer, S10685 [18OC]

———Representative Dingell, Committee on Commerce (House), S10684 [18OC]

———Representative Hyde, Committee on the Judiciary (House), S10688 [18OC]

———Senator Hatch, Committee on the Judiciary (Senate), S10688 [18OC]

———Thomas J. Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, H9702 [11OC]

———several Representatives, H9703 [11OC]

———several patient and survivor organizations, H9703 [11OC]

Internet Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act: Carla J. Stovall, National Association of Attorneys General, S10621 [17OC]

———Henri R. Manasse, Jr., American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, S10622 [17OC]

———John A. Gans, American Pharmaceutical Association, S10621 [17OC]

———Linda F. Golodner, National Consumers League, S10622 [17OC]

———Peter M. Neupert, drugstore.com, Inc., S10622 [17OC]

Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, E1882 [23OC]

———Adam Zaveski, E1179 [30JN]

———Gail Rattigan, S837 [28FE]

———Harriett Simmons, H8894 [5OC]

———Horace B. Deets, Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, E124 [10FE]

———Julia Kanopsky, H4169 [9JN]

———Louise Jarnac, H3401 [18MY]

———Mary Hudson, H9806 [11OC]

———Paul and Lois Van Valkenburgh, H8281 [27SE]

———Representative Stark, Committee on Ways and Means (House), E279 [9MR]

———Virginia Langell, H7900 [20SE]

Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs and allow importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale and by U.S. citizens for personal use: President Clinton, S10524 [13OC]

Medicare reimbursement of prescription drug costs at the average wholesale price: Representative Stark, Committee on Ways and Means (House), E1620, E1622-E1624 [28SE]

Medicare Rx 2000 Act: Laurie M. Flynn, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, H5359 [28JN]

Medicare+Choice program improvements: several senior citizen organizations, S10669 [18OC]

NIH biomedical research funding: Anna D. Barker and Margaret Foti, American Association for Cancer Research, Inc., H7074 [26JY]

———Corrina P. Smith, PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome Association, Inc., H7084 [26JY]

———Cynthia Clay, H7084 [26JY]

———Darwin J. Prockop, MCP Hahnemann University, H7074 [26JY]

———David B. Moore, Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Funding, H7074 [26JY]

———David G. Kaufman, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, H7073 [26JY]

———Eric S. Lander, Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy, H7073 [26JY]

———Gerald Litwack, Jefferson Medical College, H7074 [26JY]

———Lawrence S.B. Goldstein, University of California, San Diego, H7084 [26JY]

———Lynn Smaha, American Heart Association, H7073 [26JY]

———Rajen Dalal, Chiron Corp., H7084 [26JY]

———several Representatives, H7073 [26JY]

Prescription drug importation into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale: John M. Rector, National Community Pharmacists Association, S7377 [20JY]

———Representative Dingell, S7206 [19JY]

———Ronald J. Streck, National Wholesale Druggists' Association, S7206 [19JY]

Reinstate reasonable pricing requirements for drugs developed with Federal funding or research: Dan Schulder, National Council of Senior Citizens, S6097 [29JN]

———Martha A. McSteen, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, S6097 [29JN]

———Ronald F. Pollack, Families USA (organization), S6097 [29JN]

Voluntary Error Reduction and Improvement in Patient Safety Act: Andrew Dreyfus, Massachusetts Hospital Association, S5270 [15JN]

———David Johnson, Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, S5270 [15JN]

Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Act: Mark E. Litow, Milliman & Robertson, Inc., S2652 [13AP]

———Roland E. (Guy) King, King Associates (business), S2651 [13AP]

Voluntary plan under which eligible Medicare beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for outpatient prescription drugs: Roland E. (Guy) King, King Associates (business), S1901 [29MR]

Lists

Biomedical Research Caucus events, H7078 [26JY]

Cosponsors of H. Res. 437, NIH biomedical research funding, H7073 [26JY]

Supporters of exempting agricultural products, medicines, and medical products from U.S. economic sanctions, S7604 [26JY]

Supporters of H. Res. 437, NIH biomedical research funding, H7074 [26JY]

Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Act savings for monthly expenses, S2653 [13AP]

Memorandums

Facilitate the Importation Into the U.S. of Certain FDA Approved Drugs: Christopher J. Sroka, Congressional Research Service, H5430 [28JN]

Physician Prescribing Practices in Japan, E1620 [28SE]

Motions

Medicare: make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), H5383, H5397, H5398 [28JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), consideration (H. Res. 539), H5303, H5316, H5317 [28JN]

Opinion polls

Prescription drug plan for stronger Medicare: Glen Bolger, Public Opinion Strategies (business), S4975 [13JN]

Press releases

Agricultural Products, Medicines, and Medical Products Exemption From U.S. Economic Sanctions: Missouri Pork Producers Association, S10691 [18OC]

FTC Charges Drug Manufacturers With Stifling Competition in Two Prescription Drug Markets: FTC, H5309 [28JN]

Proclamations

National Biotechnology Month: President Clinton, S60 [26JA]

Questions and answers

Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs: Senators Domenici and Graham, S5646 [22JN]

Regulations

Hospital Outpatient Department prospective payment system for prescription drugs: Health Care Financing Administration, E1276 [19JY]

Remarks in House

Agriculture: eliminate use of antibiotic drugs in livestock unless there is a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health, H6359 [18JY]

Animals: increase the availability of drugs for minor species and rare diseases in all animals (H.R. 4780), E1146 [29JN]

Budget: ensure Medicare coverage of prescription drugs prior to consideration of any tax cuts, H1976-H1984 [10AP]

Business and industry: impact of pharmaceutical company mergers on prices, competition, and research activities, E973 [12JN]

Committee on Government Reform (House): review of health care activities, E2230 [15DE]

Committee on Science (House): release of report on plant genome science, H2016 [11AP]

Consumers: eliminate barriers to improve access to generic drugs, H7742 [19SE], E1527, E1528, E1529 [19SE]

———provide tax credit to retirement age individuals, remove barriers to importation, and prohibit certain regulation of Internet sites relative to prescription drugs (H.R. 3636), E114 [10FE]

Controlled Substances Act: civil liability for illegal manufacturers and distributors of controlled substances (H.R. 1042), H9535-H9537 [10OC]

Drug industry: reductions in prescription drug prices, H5441 [29JN], H7908-H7915 [20SE], H8053 [25SE]

Drugs: allow importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale and by U.S. citizens for personal use, H7875 [20SE], H7937, H7938 [21SE], H8206 [27SE], H9638, H9639, H9670, H9672-H9680, H9693-H9708 [11OC], H10394 [19OC], E1866 [19OC], E1891 [24OC], E1903 [25OC]

———discrepancy in prescription drug prices between U.S. and foreign countries, H5427-H5433 [28JN], H5849 [12JY], H7875, H7907-H7914 [20SE], H8052, H8053 [25SE], H11753 [1NO], E1460 [13SE]

———distribution of prescription drugs (H.R. 4301), E586 [13AP]

———enhance competition for prescription drugs by increasing enforcement of existing antitrust laws relative to brand name and generic drugs (H.R. 5235), E1538 [20SE]

———enhance consumer protection in the purchase of prescription drugs from Internet pharmacies (H.R. 5476), E1808 [17OC]

———pharmaceutical industry research and development costs, E10 [27JA], E531 [11AP]

———pharmaceutical industry research and development costs disclosure, H5774 [11JY]

———reductions in prescription drug prices, H2096 [11AP]

———registration requirements for practitioners who dispense narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment (H.R. 2634), H6374-H6377 [18JY]

———require pharmaceutical industry to disclose average prices charged for drugs in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, H5775, H5776 [11JY]

Duquesne University: anniversary of Mylan School of Pharmacy, E1459 [13SE]

FDA: Center for Veterinary Research funding for antibiotic drugs for livestock, H5684, H5685 [10JY], H5817 [11JY], E1209 [11JY], E1760 [12OC]

———clarify certain responsibilities relative to importation of drugs into the U.S. (H.R. 3240), H360 [14FE], H1731 [4AP], H2096 [11AP], H2635 [8MY], H3858 [25MY], H5426-H5434 [28JN], E1235 [14JY]

———facilitate the importation into the U.S. of certain approved drugs (H.R. 1885), H1945, H1946 [6AP], H5428, H5430 [28JN], H7913, H7915 [20SE], E1235 [14JY]

———investigate drug manufacturer pricing practices relative to Medicare, E1655 [3OC], E1764 [12OC], E1792 [13OC]

———investigation of drug manufacturer pricing practices relative to Medicare and Medicaid, E1882 [23OC], E2033, E2037 [31OC]

———prohibit funding to prevent importation into the U.S. of certain approved drugs, H5696-H5700, H5705-H5709 [10JY], E1198 [11JY]

———prohibit funding to vaccine-related advisory committees that grant conflicts of interest waivers, H5777-H5779 [11JY]

———restrict authority to issue clinical holds on investigational drugs or to deny patients expanded access to such drugs (H.R. 3677), E2230 [15DE]

Federal-State relations: reduce State and local costs due to unfunded Federal mandates relative to Medicare Rx 2000 Act, H5301, H5302 [28JN]

Foreign countries: exempt agricultural products, medicines, and medical products from U.S. economic sanctions, H5415-H5421 [28JN], H5456, H5457 [29JN], H9670-H9672, H9678, H9679, H9690, H9692, H9694-H9708 [11OC]

———require congressional approval of U.S. economic sanctions on agricultural products, medicines, and medical products, H5691, H5723 [10JY]

Foreign policy: prohibit any agent of the U.S. from pressuring African countries to change or revoke laws aimed at increasing access to HIV/AIDS drugs, H2587 [4MY], E734 [16MY]

Gagne, Len: tribute to efforts relative to delivery of prescription drugs to military retirees in Oregon, H928 [13MR]

Hassan, Fred: Seton Hall University School of Diplomacy and International Relations Global Citizen Award recipient, E2130 [5DE]

Health: encourage private-sector distributors of the influenza vaccine to give priority to distributing the available vaccine to individuals at a high risk of developing complications from influenza (H. Res. 672), E2160 [8DE]

———frequency of antibiotic use relative to increase in drug resistant infectious disease, H6359 [18JY]

———recognize differences in organ transplantation between adults and children and study immunosupressive drugs provided to children, H1700, H1701 [4AP]

———reduce accidental injury and death resulting from medical mistakes and reduce medication-related errors, H7006 [26JY]

———review of immunization and vaccine programs, E2230 [15DE]

———shortage of influenza vaccinations, E2015 [28OC]

ITC: study the impact of prescription drug prices on the economy, E1299 [21JY]

Medicare: coverage of chronic disease prescription drugs (H.R. 1796), E1866 [19OC]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, H16-H18 [27JA], H79 [31JA], H367 [14FE], H496-H501 [16FE], H579, H580 [1MR], H1000 [15MR], H1127 [21MR], H1303, H1304, H1305, H1333 [23MR], H1945, H1946 [6AP], H2186, H2190-H2200 [12AP], H2257, H2320 [13AP], H2485, H2488-H2501 [3MY], H2619 [8MY], H2974 [15MY], H3057 [16MY], H3183, H3184, H3185 [17MY], H3312, H3313, H3401 [18MY], H3620-H3625 [23MY], H3934, H3963 [7JN], H4168 [9JN], H4226 [13JN], H4343, H4345, H4480 [14JN], H4596, H4659-H4670 [19JN], H4679, H4680 [20JN], H4910, H4911, H4916-H4928 [21JN], H5077 [23JN], H5175 [27JN], H5821-H5827 [11JY], H5878-H5880 [12JY], H6031 [13JY], H6097-H6102 [17JY], H6526-H6528, H6566, H6569, H6570, H6573-H6576 [19JY], H7067 [26JY], H7221, H7253-H7259 [6SE], H7284, H7348 [7SE], H7546, H7563 [13SE], H7707-H7715 [18SE], H7875, H7899, H7902-H7916 [20SE], H7936, H7937, H7938, H7939, H7968-H7970, H7983-H7985 [21SE], H8036, H8041-H8047, H8052 [25SE], H8066 [26SE], H8205, H8206, H8281, H8298, H8299 [27SE], H8410, H8411 [28SE], H8629, H8732-H8734 [3OC], H8744, H8796 [4OC], H8894 [5OC], H9454, H9455 [6OC], H9706, H9806 [11OC], H10240 [18OC], H10399 [19OC], H10816, H10882, H10892-H10905 [25OC], H11435-H11442 [27OC], H11476-H11483 [28OC], H11535, H11595-H11601, H11609 [30OC], H11750, H11754-H11761 [1NO], H11786, H11792, H11803-H11807 [2NO], H12036-H12040 [7DE], E123 [10FE], E279 [9MR], E531 [11AP], E697 [10MY], E722 [15MY], E1179 [30JN], E1302 [21JY], E1346 [27JY], E1485 [14SE], E1613 [27SE], E1673 [4OC], E1779 [13OC], E1866 [19OC], E1882 [23OC], E1910 [25OC]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs for military retirees, H7507 [13SE], H9642 [11OC]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 1495), H458, H459, H460, H461 [16FE], H1461-H1463 [28MR], E411 [23MR]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 3482), H3753 [24MY]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 4607), E951 [9JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 4770), H5426 [28JN], E1188 [10JY], E1276 [19JY]

———create official website that allows beneficiaries to purchase safe and competitively priced domestic and international prescription drugs (H.R. 5142), E1423 [7SE]

———establish a voluntary plan under which eligible beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for prescription drugs, H4293-H4296 [13JN]

———improve payments under the Medicare+Choice program (H.R. 4236), E527 [11AP]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program, H10816 [25OC], H11806 [2NO]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), H4916 [21JN], H5073, H5077, H5078, H5079 [23JN], H5088 [26JN], H5173 [27JN], H5319-H5415 [28JN], H5439, H5440, H5441, H5442 [29JN], H6781 [25JY], H7852-H7858 [19SE], H7977-H7983 [21SE], H8110 [26SE], H8745 [4OC], H9701 [11OC], H11532 [30OC], E1104 [23JN], E1159, E1162, E1172, E1179 [30JN], E1188 [10JY], E1203 [11JY]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), consideration (H. Res. 539), H5300-H5318 [28JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), motion to recommit, H5396 [28JN]

———reductions in prescription drug prices, H579, H580 [1MR], H4916, H4920-H4928 [21JN]

———reductions in prescription drug prices (H.R. 664), H336 [10FE], H418-H425 [15FE], H458, H459, H460, H461 [16FE], H1461-H1463 [28MR], H3297-H3300 [17MY], H4659-H4664 [19JN], H7910, H7911 [20SE]

———reimbursement of prescription drug costs at the average wholesale price, E1524 [19SE], E1620, E1622 [28SE]

———reimbursement rates for drugs, E2194 [15DE]

———revise coverage of immunosuppressive drugs (H.R. 5276), E1581 [25SE]

———waive waiting period for coverage and provide coverage of drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, H12445, H12485 [15DE]

Medicare/Medicaid: reimbursement levels for chemotherapy drugs, E1578 [25SE]

National Biotechnology Month: observance, E20 [27JA], E30, E31, E36 [31JA], E49 [1FE]

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: amend (H.R. 5327), E1606 [27SE]

Nevada: tribute to prescription drug plan for senior citizens, H7219 [6SE]

NIH: biomedical research funding (H. Res. 437), H7072-H7085 [26JY]

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative: prohibit interference with certain foreign intellectual property laws or policies designed to make pharmaceuticals or medical technologies more affordable, H5151-H5153 [26JN]

Patents: provide term restoration review procedure for certain drug products (H.R. 1598), E1581 [25SE]

———provide term restoration review procedure for certain drug products (S. 1172), E1581 [25SE]

Republican Party: national agenda, H11201 [26OC]

Research: recoupment of a portion of the Federal investment in research and development supporting the production and sale of pharmaceutical, biologic, or genetic products (H.R. 4705), E1090 [23JN]

———reinstate reasonable pricing requirements for drugs developed with Federal funding or research, H4291-H4293 [13JN]

Senior citizens: limit hardship endured when meeting prescription drug needs (H. Con. Res. 152), H8796 [4OC]

Taxation: allow a credit to individuals attaining age 65 for certain drug and health insurance expenses (H.R. 4234), H2019 [11AP]

———allow a deduction for amounts paid for health insurance and prescription drug costs of individuals (H.R. 4472), H3058 [16MY]

———deny tax benefits for research conducted by pharmaceutical companies where U.S. consumers pay more for products of that research than foreign consumers (H.R. 3665), H2281 [13AP], E148 [15FE]

———treatment of certain gifts and benefits provided to physicians by prescription drug manufacturers (H.R. 4088), E411 [23MR], E417 [27MR]

———treatment of certain gifts and benefits provided to physicians by prescription drug manufacturers (H.R. 4089), H2280 [13AP], E411 [23MR], E417 [27MR], E886 [6JN]

———treatment of direct-to-consumer advertisements of prescription drugs that fail to provide certain information to the consumer (H.R. 4686), E1026 [15JN]

Remarks in Senate

Advertising: direct-to-consumer advertisements of prescription drugs, S11489 [1NO]

Animals: increase the availability of drugs for minor species and rare diseases in all animals (S. 3169), S9950 [5OC]

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: offer of drug for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to developing countries, S7421 [21JY]

Budget: ensure Medicare coverage of prescription drugs prior to consideration of any tax cuts, S2087-S2094 [4AP], S2145-S2155 [5AP], S2667, S2678 [13AP]

Consumers: pricing relative to federally funded drug research, S6096 [29JN]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: dispense medications to veterans for prescriptions written by private practitioners (S. 2640), S4474 [25MY]

Drugs: allow importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale, S7142 [18JY], S7194-S7216 [19JY], S7377 [20JY]

———allow importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale and by U.S. citizens for personal use, S9029 [22SE], S9255, S9258 [26SE], S10523 [13OC], S10669, S10675-S10678, S10681-S10688, S10691-S10698, S10732 [18OC]

———allow importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale and by U.S. citizens for personal use (S. 2520), S3693-S3695 [9MY]

———discrepancy in prescription drug prices between U.S. and foreign countries, S1862 [29MR], S2320 [6AP], S8781-S8785 [20SE]

———enhance competition for prescription drugs by increasing enforcement of existing antitrust laws relative to brand name and generic drugs (S. 2993), S7908 [27JY]

———enhance consumer protection in the purchase of prescription drugs from Internet pharmacies (S. 3208), S10620-S10623 [17OC]

———extend interstate price discrimination prohibitions to foreign commerce relative to the discrepancy in prescription drug prices between U.S. and foreign countries (S. 2464), S2942 [26AP], S4171 [18MY]

———pharmaceutical industry research and development costs, S1862 [29MR]

———registration requirements for practitioners who dispense narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment, S9111-S9115 [22SE], S11892, S11893 [15DE]

———require the U.S. Trade Representative to enter into negotiations to eliminate price controls imposed by certain foreign countries on prescription drugs (S. 2466), S2944 [26AP]

Duquesne University: anniversary of Mylan School of Pharmacy, S8288 [8SE]

FDA: facilitate the importation into the U.S. of certain approved drugs, S7142 [18JY]

———facilitate the importation into the U.S. of certain approved drugs (S. 1191), S132-S134 [31JA], S707, S708 [23FE], S840 [28FE]

———Office of Generic Drugs funding, S7329, S7330, S7376 [20JY]

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: coverage of contraceptives under any plan providing prescription drug coverage, S8799 [20SE]

Foreign countries: exempt agricultural products, medicines, and medical products from U.S. economic sanctions, S4524 [6JN], S4931 [9JN], S4970 [12JN], S5063-S5067 [14JN], S6051-S6053 [29JN], S6344 [10JY], S7591, S7603, S7604, S7629 [26JY], S9019, S9029, S9030 [22SE], S10063-S10065 [6OC], S10147 [10OC], S10669, S10670, S10675, S10681, S10688 [18OC], S10792 [19OC]

Foreign policy: prohibit any agent of the U.S. from pressuring African countries to change or revoke laws aimed at increasing access to HIV/AIDS drugs, S3037-S3039 [27AP], S3471 [4MY], S3792-S3807, S3818, S3823 [10MY], S3860, S3868, S3871, S3876 [11MY]

Health: create a national voluntary reporting system to continually reduce medical errors and improve patient safety, S6212 [30JN]

———create a national voluntary reporting system to continually reduce medical errors and improve patient safety (S. 2743), S5268-S5271 [15JN]

———reduce accidental injury and death resulting from medical mistakes and reduce medication-related errors (S. 2038), S489-S491 [8FE]

———reduce accidental injury and death resulting from medical mistakes and reduce medication-related errors (S. 2738), S5263 [15JN]

Insurance: provide access and choice for use of generic drugs under Federal health care programs (S. 2501), S3328 [3MY], S11564 [5DE]

Medicaid: make drug pricing information available to the public (S. 2963), S7855-S7858 [27JY]

Medicare: allow tax deduction for Medigap and Medicare+Choice plans including outpatient prescription drug and long-term care benefits, and establish new Medigap policies including such benefits (S. 2237), S1411 [9MR]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, S132-S134 [31JA], S657 [22FE], S705-S709 [23FE], S837 [28FE], S1188-S1191 [6MR], S1659 [23MR], S1698 [27MR], S1851-S1853 [29MR], S1947 [30MR], S2030 [3AP], S2059, S2063, S2084 [4AP], S2324 [6AP], S2390, S2427 [7AP], S2571 [12AP], S2675, S2676, S2681, S2683, S2688, S2689 [13AP], S2891, S2893 [26AP], S2958 [27AP], S4171 [18MY], S4513 [6JN], S4974-S4978 [13JN], S5609, S5636-S5641, S5643, S5645, S5646 [22JN], S5721, S5726, S5731 [23JN], S5779, S5786 [26JN], S6442, S6446 [11JY], S6632-S6636, S6643 [13JY], S6796 [14JY], S7006, S7050 [17JY], S7085 [18JY], S7627 [26JY], S7962, S7980 [5SE], S8045-S8048 [6SE], S8160 [7SE], S8245-S8250, S8272-S8274 [8SE], S8536-S8538, S8569, S8600-S8604 [14SE], S8629, S8630 [15SE], S8748-S8750 [19SE], S8773-S8776, S8780-S8789 [20SE], S9127 [25SE], S9334, S9335 [27SE], S9415-S9418, S9422 [28SE], S9565 [2OC], S9835-S9838 [4OC], S9923, S9927 [5OC], S10127-S10129 [10OC], S10667-S10669 [18OC], S10960-S10962, S10968 [25OC], S11065 [26OC], S11531 [14NO], S11564 [5DE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs and enhanced preventative benefits (S. 2541), S3839-S3850 [10MY]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs for military retirees, S10383 [12OC]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 1480), S7, S8 [24JA], S124, S125 [31JA], S315 [3FE], S656 [22FE], S751-S753 [23FE], S787 [24FE], S1042 [1MR], S1162-S1164 [6MR], S1203 [7MR], S1267 [8MR], S1482 [21MR], S2032-S2034 [3AP], S3694 [9MY]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 1535), S104 [26JA], S5879 [27JN], S6253 [30JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 2758), S5465-S5467 [20JN], S5719 [23JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 2836), S8091-S8093 [6SE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 3016), S8198-S8204 [7SE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 3017), S8204 [7SE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 3107), S9254 [26SE], S9357 [27SE]

———eliminate time limitation on benefits for immunosuppressive drugs (S. 2399), S2541 [11AP], S2713 [13AP]

———establish a voluntary plan under which eligible beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for outpatient prescription drugs (S. 2319), S1899-S1901 [29MR], S2650-S2653 [13AP]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals, S11898 [15DE]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals (S. 2644), S4557 [6JN], S4921 [9JN]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals (S. 2957), S7849 [27JY]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program, S10669 [18OC]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program (S. 2905), S7449 [21JY]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit, S8775, S8869 [20SE]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), S6182 [29JN], S6185 [30JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (S. 2807), S6020 [28JN]

———reductions in prescription drug prices, S2032-S2034 [3AP], S4974-S4978 [13JN], S9839 [4OC]

———reductions in prescription drug prices (S. 731), S838-S840 [28FE], S11564 [5DE]

———reimbursement levels for free-standing cancer hospitals for outpatient services, S11481 [1NO]

———waive waiting period for coverage and provide coverage of drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, S11225 [27OC], S11821 [15DE]

———waive waiting period for coverage and provide coverage of drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (S. 1074), S9889, S9890 [5OC]

———waive waiting period for coverage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, S6797 [14JY]

National Biotechnology Month: observance, S58-S63, S95 [26JA], S144-S146 [31JA]

National Pharmacy Week: observance, S11491 [1NO]

Native Americans: allow purchase of prescription drugs from the Federal Supply Schedule, S7715 [26JY]

NIH: biomedical research funding (S. Res. 253), S383 [7FE], S488 [8FE]

———require proposal to ensure reasonable rate of return from drug manufacturers on drugs developed with Federal funding or research, S5832-S5834 [27JN]

Research: reinstate reasonable pricing requirements for drugs developed with Federal funding or research, S6096-S6099 [29JN], S6186 [30JN]

Senate: legislative priorities, S8041 [6SE], S9400, S9401 [27SE]

Tariff: R115777 (S. 2628), S4391 [24MY]

———(S)-6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-4-cyclopropylethynyl-4-trifluoromethyl-2(1H)-quinazolinone (S. 2391), S2532 [11AP]

———(S)-6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-4-E-cyclopropylethynyl-4-trifluoromethyl-2(1H)-quinazolinone (S. 2392), S2532 [11AP]

Taxation: deny tax benefits for research conducted by pharmaceutical companies where U.S. consumers pay more for products of that research than foreign consumers (S. 2465), S2943 [26AP]

———impose a discriminatory profits tax on pharmaceutical companies that charge higher prices to domestic wholesale distributors than to foreign wholesale distributors (S. 3103), S9199 [25SE]

Reports

Global Infectious Disease Threat: National Intelligence Council, S3823-S3825 [10MY]

NIH Biomedical Research Funding: Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Funding, H7075-H7077 [26JY]

Prescription Drugs with Foreign Labels, H9674 [11OC]

Reports filed

Consideration of H.R. 4680, Medicare Rx 2000 Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 539) (H. Rept. 106-705), H5239 [27JN]

Medicare Rx 2000 Act: Committee on Ways and Means (House) (H.R. 4680) (H. Rept. 106-703), H5239 [27JN]

Rulings of the Chair

Medicare: make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), H5397 [28JN]

Statements

Biotechnology Research: National Research Council, S63 [26JA]

———President Clinton, S63 [26JA]

Buprenorphine Use in Treating Drug Addiction: Charles O'Brien, S9113 [22SE]

NIH Biomedical Research Funding: Biomedical Research Caucus, H7077 [26JY]

Prescription Drug Costs: Kayla Gildersleeve, Angela Deblasio, and Tess Grossi, E1579 [25SE]

Registration Requirements for Practitioners Who Dispense Narcotic Drugs for Maintenance or Detoxification Treatments: Representatives Bliley and McCollum, H8259 [27SE]

Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, S10689-S10691 [18OC]

Voluntary Error Reduction and Improvement in Patient Safety Act: American Health Quality Association, S5270 [15JN]

Studies

Rural Case Studies on Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, S8 [24JA]

Summaries

Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Programs Appropriations Conference Report (H.R. 4461): Provisions Exempting Agricultural Products, Medicines, and Medical Products From U.S. Economic Sanctions, H9705 [11OC]

Internet Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act (S. 3208), S10621 [17OC]

Voluntary Error Reduction and Improvement in Patient Safety Act (S. 2743), S5269 [15JN]

Tables

Comparision between the Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Act and the Clinton administration proposal on Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, S2652, S2653 [13AP]

Comparision of prescription drug prices in Washington (State) and Canada, S2091 [4AP]

Comparison between George W. Bush's and Vice President Gore's Medicare reform plans, S10962 [25OC]

Economic costs of major illnesses, H7075 [26JY]

Prescription drug import provisions in agriculture appropriations legislation, S10525 [13OC]

Republican tax proposals effects on prescription drug prices, H2281 [13AP]

Texts of

H. Res. 437, NIH biomedical research funding, H7072 [26JY]

H. Res. 539, consideration of H.R. 4680, Medicare Rx 2000 Act, H5300 [28JN]

H. Res. 672, encourage private-sector distributors of the influenza vaccine to give priority to distributing the available vaccine to individuals at a high risk of developing complications from influenza, E2160 [8DE]

H.R. 1042, Drug Dealer Liability Act, H9535 [10OC]

H.R. 2634, Drug Addiction Treatment Act, H6374 [18JY], H7200 [27JY]

H.R. 3240, Drug Import Fairness Act, H5426 [28JN]

H.R. 4680, Medicare Rx 2000 Act, H5319, H5334-H5349 [28JN]

S. 2237, Seniors' Security Act, S1411-S1413 [9MR]

S. 2399, Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Transplantation Patients Act, S2541 [11AP]

S. 2501, Generic Pharmaceutical Access and Choice for Consumers Act, S3329-S3331 [3MY]

S. 2541, Medicare Expansion for Needed Drugs (MEND) Act, S3840-S3848 [10MY]

S. 2628, tariff on R115777, S4391 [24MY]

S. 2905, Medicare+Choice Program Improvement Act, S7450 [21JY]

S. 2957, Medicare Self-Administered Medications Act, S7849 [27JY]

S. 2993, Drug Competition Act, S7908 [27JY]

S. 3016, Medicare Temporary Drug Assistance Act, S8199-S8204 [7SE]

S. 3017, Medicare Temporary Drug Assistance Act, S8204-S8209 [7SE]

S. 3051, Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act, S8590 [14SE]

S. 3169, Minor Animal Species Health and Welfare Act, S9951-S9955 [5OC]

S. Res. 253, Biomedical Revitalization Resolution, S383 [7FE]