The Senate passed the FDA user fee bill for fiscal years 2013-2017 by a majority of 92-4, sending the bill on to the White House where President Obama is expected to quickly apply his signature. The voting process did not come off without a hitch, however, as one member of the Senate put up a fight over the absence of provisions for track-and-trace of pharmaceuticals. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), a bitter critic of the pharmaceutical industry, provided one of only four nay votes, joined by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), one of the authors of a late-stage track-and-trace amendment. Read More
