Public Health
Special Features
Chronology
Monday, October 18, 2004
The Facts on the Flu Vaccine Crisis
Rep. Waxman releases three new fact sheets that explain (1) how the Administration ignored years of expert recommendations on vaccine supply; (2) how FDA failed to respond to warning signs at the contaminated facility; and (3) how liability concerns are irrelevant to the current crisis.
- Fact Sheet: Administration Response
- Fact Sheet: FDA Response
- Fact Sheet: Liability Concerns
Friday, October 15, 2004
FTC Asked to Begin Inquiry into Flu Vaccine Price Gouging
Rep. Waxman and Chairman Davis ask the Federal Trade Commission to examine reports that some distributors are charging exorbitant prices for the flu vaccine.
- Letter to FTC
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Questions for FDA on Suspension of Flu Shot Manufacturer
Rep. Waxman and Chairman Davis ask for the release of documents detailing what FDA knew about problems at the manufacturing facility that was shut down last week by British regulators, triggering the flu vaccine shortage.
- Letter to FDA
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Members Object to Trade Agreement Restrictions on Generic Drugs in Latin America, Other Developing Regions
Reps. Waxman, Solis, Rangel, Rodriguez, Sherrod Brown, Levin, Linda Sanchez, Allen, McDermott, Grijalva, Becerra, and Stark write the President to express strong opposition to the inclusion of provisions in pending free trade agreements that would restrict access to generic drugs.
- Letter to the President
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Waxman, Markey to Introduce Clinical Trial Registry Bill
Reps. Waxman and Markey will be introducing legislation to establish a mandatory registry for clinical pharmaceutical drug trials -- expanding www.clinicaltrials.gov to ensure public access to information on ongoing trials and study results. The database created by the measure meets the criteria and objectives outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and AMA.
- Joint Statement
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Drug Companies Withholding Results of Pediatric Studies
Rep. Waxman writes HHS to express concern about the pharmaceutical industry’s withholding of the results of clinical trials involving children, despite the extremely valuable six months of exclusive marketing that drug companies are granted in exchange for conducting such studies. In the letter, Rep. Waxman urges FDA to use its existing authority to release summaries of withheld data to help guide pediatricians and other clinicians on the use of drugs in children.
- Letter to HHS
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Administration Delaying Approval of Life-Saving HIV Drugs
A new analysis by Rep. Waxman reveals that despite its public promises of quick action, the Administration is unnecessarily delaying the rapid approval of combination HIV therapies for use in Africa and other developing regions.
- Letter to HHS
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Youth with Mental Illness Incarcerated Unnecessarily
At a Senate Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Rep. Waxman and Senator Collins release a Special Investigations Division report revealing that nearly 2,000 youth are incarcerated each day because community mental health services are unavailable. In 33 states, youth are locked up in detention facilities to wait for treatment even though no charges have been filed against them.
- Rep. Waxman's Statement
- The Report
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
GlaxoSmithKline Withdrawal Undermines HIV Research in Africa
Rep. Waxman urges the pharmaceutical manufacturer to reconsider its decision to withdraw from a major NIH-sponsored HIV clinical trial, an action that is undermining efforts to determine how to treat millions of people infected with HIV around the world.
- GSK Response
- Letter to GlaxoSmithKline
Thursday, June 24, 2004
HHS Restricts Communications between U.S. Scientists and WHO Officials
A new HHS policy requires the World Health Organization to submit all requests for expert scientific advice to political officials at HHS who pick which federal scientists will be permitted to respond. The new policy and two recent Administration decisions to withdraw federal scientists from major international health conferences are part of a disturbing pattern of political interference in global health issues.
- Letter to HHS
- Letter to HHS on International AIDS Conference
Monday, June 21, 2004
Questions on Estimate of Mortality from Obesity
Responding to concerns from the scientific community, Rep. Waxman asks GAO to review the recent CDC estimate of the number of deaths attributable to obesity.
- Letter to GAO
Thursday, June 17, 2004
HHS Experts: Funding Increase Urgently Needed for HIV/AIDS Drug Program
In a letter to HHS, Democratic Leader Pelosi, Democratic Whip Hoyer, Rep. Waxman, Rep. Frank, Rep. Sherrod Brown, Del. Christensen, Rep. Lee and Rep. Baldwin make Secretary Thompson aware of his own agency's conclusion that an HIV/AIDS drug program for Americans lacking adequate health insurance urgently needs significantly more funding.
- Letter to HHS
Monday, June 07, 2004
Pharmaceutical Companies Fail to Register Clinical Trials on Government Website
Rep. Waxman writes the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America regarding the failure of many pharmaceutical companies to submit information on their cancer clinical trials to www.clinicaltrials.gov – despite a federal law requiring them to do so.
- Letter to PhRMA
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
U.S. Taekwondo Union Bars Head Contact for Young Athletes
Addressing safety concerns expressed by Rep. Waxman, Rep. Jackson, and Sen. Jeffords, the nation’s governing taekwondo body has moved to prohibit full head contact for athletes under 14 years of age.
- Letter to USTU
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Administration Urged To Drop Roadblocks to Low-Cost, Effective HIV Combination Therapies
In a letter to the President, Rep. Waxman details Administration actions that have unnecessarily delayed and complicated the delivery of highly recommended, life-saving HIV therapies to developing regions.
- Letter to the President
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Additional Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS Drug Program Urgently Needed
In a letter to HHS, Democratic Leader Pelosi, Democratic Whip Hoyer, Rep. Waxman, Rep. Frank, Rep. Sherrod Brown, Del. Christensen, Rep. Lee and Rep. Baldwin again write Secretary Thompson to emphasize the urgent need for additional federal funding for an HIV/AIDS drug program for Americans lacking adequate health insurance.
- Letter to HHS
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Taekwondo Rule Change Raises Safety Concerns for Young Athletes
Rep. Waxman, Rep. Jackson, and Sen. Jeffords write the U.S. Olympic Committee to express concerns about a taekwondo rule change that encourages young black belts to disable opponents with kicks to the head – a rule change that medical experts say puts children at risk of serious injury.
- Letter from Reps. Waxman and Jackson
- Letter from Sen. Jeffords
- Press Release
Friday, March 26, 2004
Administration Impeding Access to Life-Saving HIV Therapies in Africa, Other Developing Regions
Rep. Waxman objects to proposed drug approval standards, being circulated by the Administration for consideration at a conference next week in Botswana, that could block the use of the low-cost drugs needed to save the lives of millions of people living with HIV in Africa and other developing regions.
- Letter to the President
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
NIH Stem Cell Director: Fewer Viable Lines Than Claimed by Administration
Reps. Waxman and Slaughter reveal that the Administration may have misinformed the public about both the number of viable human embryonic stem cell lines available for research and the motivation behind the recent dismissal of a distinguished cell biologist from the President’s Council on Bioethics.
- Letter to the President
Thursday, February 26, 2004
FDA Delays Consideration of Emergency Contraception Drug
Forty eight members of Congress write FDA about the delay in the consideration of the application for over-the-counter status for the emergency contraception drug Plan B.
- Letter to FDA
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
USDA Urged to Support WIC Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program
Reps. Waxman and Putnam urge USDA Secretary Veneman to support a pilot program to promote the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children.
- Letter to USDA
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Budget Asks for Fraction of Needed AIDS Funding Increase
Eight members call on the Administration to ensure that a new CDC initiative will not leave thousands of Americans with an HIV diagnosis but without access to life saving drugs.
- Letter to HHS
- Press Release
Monday, January 26, 2004
Concerns About Commissioned Corps Reorganization Plan
Rep. Waxman and Chairman Davis write HHS to express concerns about the reorganization plan for the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service that appears to ignore valuable input from public health leaders and threaten the effectiveness of our nation's science-based agencies.
- Letter to HHS
Monday, October 27, 2003
HHS May Use Audits to Harass Safe-Sex Groups
Rep. Waxman expresses continuing concern that HHS may be using audits to penalize groups who do not adhere to the Administration's abstinence-only approach to sex education.
- Letter to HHS
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Objections to Commissioned Corps Plan
Rep. Waxman and Rep. Van Hollen write HHS about the HHS draft policy that could undermine the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
- Aug. 11 Letter to HHS
- Letter to Chairman Davis
- Letter to HHS
Thursday, August 14, 2003
HHS Asked to Explain HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Audits
Rep. Waxman asks Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson to explain what appears to be selective audits on government-funded HIV/AIDS prevention programs.
- Letter to HHS
Monday, August 11, 2003
New Policy Requires Additional Layer of Review for HIV/AIDS Prevention Efforts
In a letter to HHS Secretary Thompson, Democratic Leader Pelosi, Democratic Whip Hoyer, and Rep. Waxman urge the Secretary to reconsider a new CDC policy that requires HIV/AIDS prevention efforts to undergo an additional layer of review prior to distribution, changes which threaten to increase the burden on state and local health departments at a time when public health budgets are strained.
- Letter to HHS
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
President Urged to Reverse Decision to Fund Anthrax Vaccine with Resources Devoted to HIV/AIDS, Other Health Threats
Senator Bingaman and Rep. Waxman urge President Bush to reverse the decision to fund the development of a new anthrax vaccine by robbing funds currently devoted to finding cures for HIV/AIDS, West Nile Virus, SARS, and other serious public health threats.
- Letter to the President
Friday, May 23, 2003
Administration Urged to Take Evidence-Based Approach to HIV/AIDS Prevention
Democratic Leader Pelosi and Rep. Waxman urge the Administration to take an evidence-based approach in their new HIV/AIDS prevention strategy and not be influenced by those who may be trying to politicize science and public health policy.
- Letter to White House Office of National AIDS Policy
Friday, May 09, 2003
Questions on HHS's Response on Soft Drinks and Obesity
Rep. Waxman writes HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to question his response that there is insufficient evidence linking sugar-sweetened soft drinks to obesity.
- Letter to HHS
- HHS Response
Thursday, May 01, 2003
Administration Proposes Cuts in CDS Public Health Budget
Rep. Waxman protests the Administration's proposal to cut CDC's public health budget, citing the need for a strong public health infrastructure to protect the nation from SARS and other biological threats.
- Letter to HHS
Sunday, March 16, 2003
New HHS Fact Sheet Finds No Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer
One week after Rep. Waxman and 15 other members of Congress called on HHS to update its web site to reflect expert views, NCI has posted a new fact sheet stating "having an abortion or miscarriage does not increase a woman’s subsequent risk of developing breast cancer."
- NCI Response
- New NCI Fact Sheet
- March 14 Letter to HHS
Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Administration Promotes Unproven 'Abstinence-Only' Policies
Rep. Waxman and 33 other members write HHS Secretary Thompson to protest a string of actions by the Administration to promote its unproven 'abstinence-only' policies on international HIV/AIDS prevention efforts.
- Letter to HHS
Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Public Health Information on Federal Websites
Rep. Waxman and other members have written to HHS Secretary Thompson to protest the alteration and removal of important public health information from federal websites concerning the use of condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and the alleged association between abortion and breast cancer. The Department of Health and Human Services removed scientific fact sheets from its websites earlier this year, and has now reposted significantly altered versions which distort and suppress scientific information for ideological purposes.
The National Cancer Institute has posted “Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer,” a fact sheet intended to replace “Abortion and Breast Cancer,” which was taken down earlier this year. The original NCI information stated: “The current body of scientific evidence suggests that women who have had either induced or spontaneous abortions have the same risk as other women for developing breast cancer.” This conclusion was based on a reasoned analysis of available studies. The fact sheet noted that early studies were inconsistent, with some investigators reporting an increase in risk and others finding no such increase. The “updated” NCI information presents none of this reasoned analysis of the difference among studies of abortion and breast cancer risk. Rather than a measured scientific discussion leading to a conclusion that available evidence does not support an increase in risk, NCI’s web site now simplistically says that studies are “inconsistent.”
The original fact sheet "Condoms and Their Use in Preventing HIV Infection and Other STDs" discussed the numerous studies that have shown that HIV education and sex education that included information about condoms “either had no effect upon the initiation of intercourse or resulted in delayed onset of intercourse.” This information has been completely expunged from the revised fact sheet. In fact, according to recent press accounts, the Administration is now taking the exact opposite position at an international conference on population, arguing that despite scientific studies to the contrary, providing education about condom use will increase teenage sex.
- Dec. 18 Follow-up Letter to HHS
- Nov. 27 HHS Response
- Dec. 18 Letter to HHS
- Oct. 21 Letter to HHS
- Original Abortion Fact Sheet
- Revised Abortion Fact Sheet
- Original Condom Use Fact Sheet
- Revised Condom Use Fact Sheet
Thursday, November 21, 2002
Questions on U.S. Government Objections to Soft Drink and Obesity Link
Rep. Waxman writes HHS Secretary Thompson to ask why the U.S. government is objecting to a draft report from the World Health Organization that calls for a reduction in soft drink consumption as part of a global strategy to fight obesity.
- Letter to HHS
Monday, June 24, 2002
HHS Actions Contradict Expert Recommendations
Rep. Waxman and Rep. Elijah Cummings, ranking Democrat of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, along with leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian and Pacific American Caucus, write to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to protest HHS actions that contradict the Institute of Medicine's expert recommendations on how to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities.
- Letter to HHS
- The Report
- More on Health Care Disparities
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