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Senator Hassan’s Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Against Counterfeit Medical Products Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislation to help protect patients from counterfeit medical products has been signed into law. The Safeguarding Therapeutics Act was introduced in the Senate last year by Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and former Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) and in the House by Representatives Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2) and Eliot Engel (D-NY-16).  

 

The Safeguarding Therapeutics Act would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to seize and destroy counterfeit medical devices and products, including COVID-19 tests and vaccines, as well as counterfeit combination products like EpiPens.

 

“In the middle of a pandemic, it is more important than ever to ensure that doctors and patients alike are not receiving counterfeit medical products,” said Senator Hassan. “It is sickening that some individuals and companies are seeking to take advantage of the pandemic by selling counterfeit COVID-19 tests and life-saving devices like EpiPens, which is why Republican Senator Enzi and I partnered up across the aisle to further crack down on these crimes. I am pleased that our bill is now law, especially as we work to ramp up COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.”

 

This bipartisan legislation is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic and protect public health. Senator Hassan and colleagues helped secure $69 billion for vaccines and public health support in the bipartisan government funding package that recently became law. Through the package, New Hampshire will receive more than $36 million for vaccine distribution and administration, and more than $183 million for testing, contact tracing, and COVID mitigation efforts. Senator Hassan also secured commitments from the FDA and CDC that their agencies would conduct key oversight measures during the COVID-19 vaccine review process to help ensure that any potential COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, and these meetings occurred ahead of the vaccine authorizations.

 

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