14-R229

2014 – S 2225

Enacted 05/06/14

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

IN SUPPORT OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING (COOL) FOR PHARMACEUTICALS

Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Cool Rumsey, Goldin, and Miller

Date Introduced: January 30, 2014

 

WHEREAS, Based on the most recent data available, a record 4.02 billion drug prescriptions were written in the United States in 2011; and

WHEREAS, The 2011 Food and Drug Administration report "Pathway to Global Product Safety" stated that 80 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients in medications sold in the United States were manufactured in other countries; and

WHEREAS, According to data from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the FDA only inspected 11 percent of the more than 3,700 foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in 2009; and

WHEREAS, The risks associated with foreign manufacturing of drugs were tragically demonstrated in 2008, when a foreign manufacturer substituted a fake ingredient in a supply of the blood thinner heparin and the contaminated drug killed 81 people in the United States and sickened hundreds of others; and

WHEREAS, While this case does not mean that all foreign manufactured pharmaceuticals are at risk; it highlights the safety concerns associated with imported drugs, and the need for greater consumer information and protection; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, the United States Congress has seen the introduction of legislation, including 2008 S. 3633, the "Transparency in Drug Labeling Act," which would require drug labels to include the identity of the country of manufacture of each active and inactive ingredient in the drug; and

WHEREAS, Such legislation would help inform and empower consumers to make their own decisions about what drugs they choose to purchase and consume, and would bring greater public attention to pharmaceutical safety; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations supports federal legislative and regulatory efforts to increase country-of-origin labeling for pharmaceuticals to inform consumers of where their drugs are made; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation.

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