I always enjoy taking a tour and looking at what the states are doing during their respective legislative sessions that would impact the pharmaceutical industry. I visited the sites of several state legislatures – states I regard as healthcare bellwether states, and here is some of what I found. There is a lot of attention being paid to the marketing of drugs, among other things:
- Support for Medicare Prescription Drug Act – The Florida Senate wants Congress to know that it supports the Medicare Prescription Drug Negotiation Act with SB 610.
- Controlling Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices – My home state of Illinois provides just one of many examples of many pieces of proposed legislation among states aimed at gaining control over the marketing practices of sales reps with HB 872 called The Prescription Drug Ethical Marketing Act.
- Missouri Worries About Pharmacist Conscience – SB 285 – This act protects the conscience rights of pharmaceutical professionals. Such pharmaceutical professionals shall not be required to perform, assist, recommend, refer for, or participate in any service involving a particular drug or device that they have a good faith belief is used for abortions.
- New Jersey and New York – Clinical Trial Information – S.2307 – The "Prescription Drug Right-to-Know Act" would establish a clinical trial registry and require pharmaceutical companies to publicly disclose clinical trial data. This is similar to a bill in New York, AB 2274 which would require disclosure on the Internet.
- What Gift Did You Give to Whom – A New York proposal AB 3794 would also require disclosure by pharmaceutical drug manufacturers and wholesalers to disclose all gifts to certain health care practitioners each year. S.5917 in the state of Washington would do the same. Massachusetts is also concerned as evidenced by HB 2659.
- Advertising Ends at the Border – HB 3706 in Massachusetts is a proposal to ban all pharmaceutical advertising within its borders. Looks like the Commonwealth will have to go without watching the network evening news!
There are of course, many more and next month I’ll do another roundup to see what our state legislatures are doing on drugs.
