Drug Quality and Security Act passes in US Senate

After months of discussion in the US Congress, finally HR 3204, the Drug Quality and Security Act, which mandates a federal, interoperable electronic track-and-trace system, has been passed by the Senate. The bill, which passed the House of Representatives on September 28, will now be sent to President Barack Obama to sign into law.

This legislation establishes uniform national standards for the supply chain, which will replace the currently fragmented and piecemeal system that varies from state to state. It strengthens the Food and Drug Administration’s ability to keep bad actors out of the system, and requires that prescription drug packaging use advanced technologies so a product’s source and distribution history can be traced nationwide from manufacturer to patient.

Welcomed by BIO and PhRMA