Hillside, NJ, May 1, 2003 — The following is an interview between HINJ President Bob Franks and Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, a Republican who represents New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District.
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Q: Congressman Frelinghuysen, congratulations on your appointment as a Subcommittee Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. We are very pleased that you will be taking this leadership role for our state. How will this position change your responsibilities in Congress?
Congressman Frelinghuysen: I am proud to have been selected to serve as one of thirteen Chairmen of the Appropriations Subcommittees. My new role will allow me to continue to provide leadership in the areas of federal government spending and appropriations. I look forward to serving the citizens of New Jersey as we confront many important fiscal matters.
Q: What issues do you think will be the most significant in the 108th Congress?
Congressman Frelinghuysen: Without question, the most critical issue now facing the Congress is the war on terrorism and ensuring our homeland security. We must also focus on the most appropriate ways to move our economy forward through these challenging times. Finally, it is imperative that Congress pass a Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.
Q: Speaking of a Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, you represent thousands of employees of the pharmaceutical and medical technology industry. The industry is very concerned with the need for a Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. How do you feel about it?
Congressman Frelinghuysen: I believe that providing a Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit is the most pressing health-care issue for America’s seniors. Thanks to your work, new innovations and discoveries in the pharmaceutical and medical technology industry are making our lives longer, healthier and more productive. Making these new innovations available to those who need it most while protecting our abilities to discover even more therapies and cures must remain our guiding principles.
Q: You recently voted for a bill that became law that provided much-needed modernization to the FDA’s regulation of medical technologies and devices. Why was this reform so important?
Congressman Frelinghuysen: This law increases the FDA’s limited resources and allows them to review and approve new medical technologies and devices in a much timelier manner. With quicker review, more patients are receiving the critical care they need when they need it, improving and even saving lives. I also believe that Congress must provide the tools for patients to access these technologies through faster payment and reimbursement rates.
Q: The industry is very concerned with recent news reports about people in the United States buying prescription drugs from other countries. How do you feel about drug importation?
Congressman Frelinghuysen: It is a tremendous health risk to import drugs from countries that are not subject to the same rigorous safety standards that the Food and Drug Administration applies. I believe the practice of drug importation would allow possible counterfeit, adulterated or fraudulent drugs into the United States. That’s why every federal government agency and regulatory body — from the Department of Health and Human Services to the U.S. Customs Service, from the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of Commerce — all oppose drug importation.
Q: Thank you for your insights. We hope to have the opportunity to speak with you again.