American University's
Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies today announced the
launch of "A Dialogue: Seeking Common Ground On Drug Safety," a new series
of forums to address policy issues related to the anticipated passage and
implementation of the Food & Drug Administration Revitalization Act
(FDARA). The series will consist of three forums that will focus on
identifying and exploring common understandings and agreements with respect
to prescription drug safety, a growing public health issue in the United
States and a top health policy concern for public policymakers in
Washington, DC. The series will be presented by American University's
Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS), with underwriting
support from Pfizer Inc.
"A Dialogue: Seeking Common Ground on Drug Safety" is a series
consisting of three forums: Public Policy Considerations of Drug Safety;
Political Realities of Drug Safety; and Medical Issues Surrounding Drug
Safety. Each program will feature an array of public policymakers, medical
experts, patient advocates, and representatives from the health industry to
discuss prescription drug safety. By bringing together diverse viewpoints
on the policies and procedures affecting prescription drug safety, the
programs are intended to identify common ground on key issues with respect
to patient health and safety and will subsequently disseminate findings to
policymakers, the medical community, and the general public.
"As with most aspects of health policy, there are many perspectives on
prescription drug safety, all of which must be considered thoughtfully,"
said James A. Thurber, Ph.D., Director, Center for Congressional and
Presidential Studies, School of Public Affairs, American University.
"Swinging the pendulum of drug safety too far, one way or the other,
ultimately presents the prospect of either denying patient access to
innovative care or, on the other hand, exposing patients to undue safety
risks. Our series will encourage a balanced dialogue to identify common
ground on drug safety and restore public confidence that has been badly
shaken by recent disasters, such as the withdrawal of Vioxx in 2004. We
look forward to providing valuable data and expert perspectives to help
inform the implementation of FDARA (Drug Safety) and the consideration of
future health care measures."
In addition to disseminating important findings of the series to key
stakeholders and the general public, a print monograph from the series will
be distributed to medical, policy, and political organizations.
Supplementing the live meetings and printed information, the CCPS website,
american.edu/ccps will host a wealth of program information
presented in an array of multimedia formats, including audio podcasts and
streaming video.
About American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential
Studies
The Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS) is located
in the nation's capital at American University. Under the sponsorship of
the School of Public Affairs, CCPS provides an integrated teaching,
research, and study program focusing on Congress and the presidency and the
interactions and policy facing these two basic American institutions. For
more information about CCPS, go to american.edu/ccps.
American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential
american.edu/ccps
View drug information on Vioxx.