1 Dear Mr. Robinson: Thank you very much for contacting me regarding the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) regulation of prescription drugs. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue. As you know, the FDA has come under increasing criticism about the way it regulates prescription drugs. Following the discovery of serious problems with several blockbuster drugs and their subsequent removal from the market, a rising chorus of voices has urged Congress to review the manner in which FDA operates. Specifically, calls have been made to evaluate the way FDA approves prescription drugs and monitors these medications once they come on the market. I am concerned about the decreasing confidence of consumers in the safety of prescription drugs. The role of prescription drugs is critically important to the health and well being of our nation. Many of the major advances in the quality of U.S. health care over the past 50 years have been brought about as a result of pharmaceutical technology, and diseases which were previously untreatable can now be cured, or at least managed through the use of various drugs and vaccines. Despite the critical role that prescription drugs play in our nation's healthcare system, serious doubts about their efficacy remain. I believe that a full review of FDA's drug approval and post-market surveillance process is in order to ensure that the American people can rest comfortably knowing that their prescription drugs are safe. Rest assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind as the 109th Congress progresses. Again, thank you for contacting me about this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me again in the future if I can be of assistance. Sincerely, Patty Murray United States Senator

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