The U.S. House moved on the “Adding Zika Virus to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act" from U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-NC, this week with the Florida delegation firmly behind it.
Butterfield’s proposal adds Zika to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher Program. U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., co-sponsored Butterfield’s bill back in February and she was joined by other members of the Florida delegation including Republican U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Dennis Ross and Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy. The Sunshine State has more reports of Zika than any other state.
The House passed the Senate’s version of the bill, which was brought out by U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., on Tuesday. The bill now heads to President Barack Obama’s desk.
Ros-Lehtinen insisted Zika was a threat to South Florida after the bill was passed.
“South Floridians are rightly concerned about the potential threat we face from the Zika virus, and today’s vote demonstrates Congress’s serious commitment to limiting Zika impacts in the U.S. and across the globe,” Ros-Lehtinen said. “As South Florida’s rainy season approaches, I hope everyone in our community also recognizes the important role all individuals can play in combating the spread of Zika virus by simply minimizing mosquito breeding habitats in and around our homes and places of work.”
"With so much we do not know about Zika, we cannot afford to wait. We also cannot expect a cure overnight," said Murphy, who is running for the U.S. Senate this year. "I am pleased to see this common-sense measure pass with overwhelming support, helping expedite treatment and prevention approvals so we are better prepared for the possible spread of the virus in the continental United States. I am hopeful Congress will also come together to approve the administration's emergency funding request to combat the Zika virus so we have the resources in place to remain ahead of this emerging threat."
Ross, part of the House leadership as senior deputy majority whip, explained why he backed the measure when it was brought out earlier in the year.
“The emerging outbreak of the tropical Zika virus is a public health crisis that demands an immediate and urgent response, which is why I co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to protect the people of District 15 and the United States from this dangerous virus,” Ross said. “The World Health Organization has called Zika a global public health emergency, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a public health emergency last week in four counties, including Hillsborough County, after at least nine cases of the illness were detected in Florida. Zika infections have occurred in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Americas, and are transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, which are highly common throughout Florida. The Zika virus can infect pregnant women and result in birth defects, including microcephaly and neurological disorders in newborns. The virus also causes skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, and headaches in adults.
“A vaccine for the Zika virus is underway, but without a Priority Review Voucher in place, this vaccine may not be available for many years,” Ross added. “We do not have the luxury of time, and I strongly urge my colleagues to join this bipartisan effort and encourage the rapid development of a vaccine or treatment for this virus. The right incentives made available through the Priority Review Voucher Program encourage the private sector to develop innovative treatments and cures. We need to do everything we can to make sure we eliminate any roadblocks to the development, testing and ultimate distribution of a vaccine for the Zika virus.”
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
