1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to vote NO on the SAFE Drugs Act (H.R. 6509 / S. 3794). While the bill is presented as a patient safety measure, I am deeply concerned that it will have the unintended consequence of reducing access to medically necessary compounded medications for countless Americans. Many patients rely on compounded medications because their insurance does not cover the FDA approved version, the brand name medication is prohibitively expensive, they require individualized formulations that meet their medical needs, or drug shortages and supply disruptions have limited access to commercially available products. Although patient safety is critically important, I worry this legislation goes far beyond addressing unsafe actors. By imposing new restrictions and limiting the ability of compounding pharmacies to provide medications that are essentially copies of commercially available drugs, the bill may leave many patients without affordable treatment options. Many compounding pharmacists and patient advocates have expressed concern that the legislation could disproportionately affect people who rely on compounded GLP 1 medications because they cannot afford or obtain the brand name versions. I support strong oversight of pharmacies that violate safety standards, use poor manufacturing practices, or mislead consumers. However, Congress should target bad actors directly rather than enact broad restrictions that could reduce access for legitimate patients while benefiting large pharmaceutical manufacturers. Please oppose the SAFE Drugs Act and instead support legislation that both protects patient safety and preserves access to affordable compounded medications when they are medically appropriate. Thank you for your consideration and for your service to our district.