HR1170 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1170 LRB095 20736 GRL 49206 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the responsibility to determine if newly developed medical products are safe and effective; and

WHEREAS, Any prescription medication, over the counter medication, medical device, or vaccination must be approved by the FDA prior to being marketed for general sale in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Over the last few years, various widely-used prescription drugs have been removed from the market following documented deaths and serious harm to patients; and

WHEREAS, These incidents call into question the standards currently used to review drugs and devices in response to the FDA Modernization Act of 1997; and

WHEREAS, Many women have health conditions that require them to take medication throughout their lives, such as asthma, epilepsy, hypertension, and depression; at this time, while a rating system for drug safety does exist, statistics and research are lacking regarding the safety of taking these medications during pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, According to figures kept by birth defect research groups, the incidence of women using nonprescription medicines to treat headaches, colds, upset stomachs, and other ailments typical during pregnancy is on the rise; researchers have found that over 20% of pregnant women use four or more drugs during their pregnancy, with over the counter medicines being utilized most often; and

WHEREAS, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not currently have guidelines for physicians prescribing medications during pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, Over 150,000 babies in the U.S. each year are born with serious birth defects; while some causes of birth defects are linked to genetic or chromosomal problems, the majority are caused by unknown reasons; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the U.S Food and Drug Administration to seek out better research and data collection pertaining to drug use during pregnancy; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we also urge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in cooperation with pharmacists and physicians, to do an informational campaign to provide scientifically accurate information to both pregnant and lactating women regarding the hazards of taking prescription and over the counter medications, along with the potential impact on their child; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the members of the Illinois congressional delegation, the Illinois State Medical Society, the Illinois Pharmacists Association, and the Illinois Department of Public Health.