Prescription for safety
Drugmakers open to new fees for foreign plant checks

Friday, May 02, 2008 BY ROBERT COHEN

STAR-LEDGER WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- Facing growing concern about the safety of medicines made abroad, the nation's pharmaceutical industry signaled yesterday it may be open to a new user-fee system to provide tens of millions of dollars a year for U.S. inspections of foreign drug manufacturing plants.
Three major pharmaceutical trade groups -- Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association and the Biotechnology Industry Organization -- told federal lawmakers they may be willing to support new fees in order to give the Food and Drug Administration the resources it needs to significantly expand inspections overseas.

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http://www.nj.com/business/ledger/in...l=1&thispage=2

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