Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Representative Chip Roy reintroduced a legislative proposal on Wednesday aimed at eliminating bureaucratic barriers that hinder Americans from accessing medical treatments and pharmaceutical drugs already approved in other nations. The bill is also supported by Utah Senator Mike Lee.
The proposed legislation, known as the Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments (RESULT) Act, seeks to accelerate the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval process. If passed, it would allow Americans quicker access to medications and medical devices that have already been deemed safe and effective in select countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Israel, and European Union member states. According to details provided about the bill, the FDA would be required to either approve or reject an application for reciprocal drug approval within 30 days.
Representative Roy emphasized the importance of cutting through excessive bureaucracy, stating that requiring patients to wait for approval in the U.S. for treatments already available elsewhere is a prime example of inefficiency in the healthcare system. “This legislation removes unnecessary red tape, ensuring Americans can receive the treatments they need without delay,” Roy said.
Senator Cruz echoed these sentiments, stressing that federal regulations frequently obstruct the ability of doctors and patients to make their own healthcare choices. “The RESULT Act is designed to streamline access to life-saving treatments that have already been deemed safe in trusted nations,” Cruz said. “This bill puts patients first and removes obstacles that stand between them and critical medications.”
The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that Cruz and Roy have previously introduced the RESULT Act in past congressional sessions. They remain optimistic that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s emphasis on healthcare reform and his commitment to challenging the existing system could encourage the newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services to support the bill.
“I believe Bobby Kennedy is a reformer who is willing to confront the entrenched interests within the healthcare system,” Cruz said in a January 30 interview with Texas station KGNS-TV. “Too often, we see large pharmaceutical corporations working closely with regulators, creating unnecessary hurdles for new treatments and devices. I think he will shake things up, and I welcome that change.”
Cruz further criticized the current system, arguing that it is unreasonable for Americans with life-threatening conditions to be forced to seek treatments abroad because they are unavailable domestically due to regulatory delays. “Patients deserve the right to access these medications here at home,” he said.
Additionally, the legislation includes a provision allowing Congress to overturn an FDA decision to reject a reciprocal drug approval. A simple majority vote in both chambers through a joint resolution would be sufficient to reverse such a decision, according to the bill’s text.
YEAH! THIS IS ALL PIE IN THE SKY! IT’S THE MEDICAL INSURANCE CARRIERS THAT DENY THE TREATMENT PLANS/PRESCRIPTIONS FOR DRUGS!!!!!