McCaul Statement on Johnson & Johnson Creating Independent Panel for Compassionate Use Requests

McCaul Statement on Johnson & Johnson Creating Independent Panel for Compassionate Use Requests

AUSTIN, TX – Today following the announcement that Johnson & Johnson will create an independent panel for compassionate use requests, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX) made the following statement.

McCaul: “Today’s announcement is a clear example of how Johnson & Johnson is a leader on the issue of expanded access for patients with life-threatening diseases and conditions.  While Congress is still working to improve the expanded access process at the FDA, I am encouraged by this unique partnership with NYU School of Medicine’s Compassionate-Use Advisory Committee.  This partnership should demonstrate to patients that companies are taking seriously the need to balance patient’s interests with the highest ethical standards.  I look forward to seeing how this arrangement will develop and how it might serve as a model for other companies in the future.”

Congressman McCaul is a leader in Congress on compassionate use reform. At the 2014 Childhood Cancer Summit in Washington, DC, hosted by Congressman McCaul, Johnson & Johnson’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Amrit Ray, spoke about compassionate use. In February, McCaul introduced the Andrea Sloan Compassionate Use Reform and Enhancement (CURE) Act. The CURE Act would make important reforms to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) expanded access ("compassionate use") process, by ensuring seriously ill patients have the right to know the compassionate use policies of pharmaceutical companies developing the most innovative treatments. 

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