State Rep. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, on Wednesday filed House Bill 2185, also known as the Truth in Medicine Act, to allow accurate, truthful speech between pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers about drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for “off-label uses.”
About 20% of prescriptions nationwide are written for “off-label uses,” according to a news release from Parker’s office. This applies to an FDA-approved drug that is prescribed for a patient population, dosage or purpose for other than what it was approved. After receiving approval from the FDA, additional uses are often found for medications. However, the FDA’s approval process is long and expensive, keeping these treatments a secret for years when they could be readily available today.
“As our Nation continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to cut bureaucratic red-tape and allow medical innovation has never been more evident,” Parker said in a statement. “America is home to the brightest doctors in the world and provides unparalleled opportunities for innovation in every industry. For far too long, the FDA has silenced pharmaceutical manufacturers and restricted their ability to inform physicians of new treatment options, many of which could save lives.”
The FDA continues to censor healthcare treatments by levying criminal penalties against drug companies and physicians.
“The Truth in Medicine Act has never been more important,” Parker said. “James Madison once claimed, ‘The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.’ Patients and their providers have the right to know about effective treatment options. Texas must remind the federal government how such innovation is possible and combat unjust, federal actions that stifle a patient’s care.”
Parker represents Texas House District 63, the southwestern portion of Denton County.
