WHEREAS, Improving patient access to quality health care is a paramount national goal; and

WHEREAS, The key to improved health care, especially for persons with serious unmet medical needs, is the rapid approval of safe and effective new drugs, biological products and medical devices; and

WHEREAS, Minimizing the delay between discovery and eventual approval of a new drug, biological produce, or medical device derived from research conducted by innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies could improve the lives of millions of Americans; and

WHEREAS, Current limitations on the dissemination of information about pharmaceutical products reduce the availability of information to physicians, other health care professionals and patients, and unfairly limit the right of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, The current rules and practices governing the review of new drugs, biological products, and medical devices by the United States Food and Drug Administration can delay approvals and are unnecessarily expensive; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this general assembly of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully urges the President and the Congress of the United States to address this important issue by enacting comprehensive legislation to facilitate the rapid review and approval of innovative new drugs, biological products, and medical devices, without compromising patient safety or product effectiveness; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the secretary of state be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and the Rhode Island delegation in Congress.