Clarke Calls For Quicker Review Of Drugs To Pediatric Disease
Flatbush Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement on letters she sent to senior members of the House Appropriations Committee to support the continuation of the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review program, and the inclusion of sickle cell disease in the program.
The program provides for the expedited review by the Food and Drug Administration of prescription drugs for disease that afflict fewer than 200,000 children in the United States. Almost 100,000 people in the United States, most of them African American, have sickle cell disease, which often results in serious infections and severe pain, and increases the risk of stroke.
“We desperately need to expand the medical treatments available for rare pediatric diseases, particularly sickle cell disease that afflicts many African Americans. This program has been a success, allowing pharmaceutical companies to introduce effective forms of medical treatment much faster than would otherwise have occurred,” said Clarke.
“We have a shared responsibility to the families and children who need these health care choices. The incentives offered under the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review program will support the critical research on these diseases. With the inclusion of sickle cell disease in the program, we will offer hope to the many individuals who have the disease or who are concerned that their children will have it.”
Cumbo Spearheads One Crown Heights Arts Initiative
Crown Heights/Fort Greene City Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo will present today the first public panel discussion for ‘One Crown Heights,’ a cross-cultural project intended to increase community bonds, mobilize positive behavior and create opportunities for the Black, Caribbean, Jewish and newer residents to work towards One Crown Heights.
Community leaders will discuss their reflections and connections to Crown Heights. The panel discussion is part of a larger project that Cumbo funded through her discretionary budget to support a series of community conversations, special events, and the creation of a mural that promotes diversity and unity.
Besides Cumbo, other organizations participating in the panel discussion are the Brooklyn Crown Heights Mediation Center, the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, and the non-profit Groundswell organization, which is known for utilizing the community to paint murals.
The panel discussion is slated for between 5-7 p.m., tonight at Five Myles Gallery, 558 St. Johns Place.
Golden Holds Roundtable On Mail Order Specialty Drugs
Bay Ridge State Senator Martin J. Golden today will host a Mandatory Mail Order Pharmacy Requirement for Specialty Drugs Roundtable.
The primary focus of this Roundtable will be to discuss Golden’s sponsored Senate Bill
2530, which seeks to provide consumer access of every covered medication from a local network participating pharmacy and not force individuals to use a mail order pharmacy. The bill has bipartisan support in that Democratic Bronx Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner is sponsoring it on the assembly side.
The Pharmacist Society of the State of New York, the National Community Pharmacists Association, as well as patient advocates from the New York Blood Bank, the National Hemophilia Foundation, the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and the New York State Bleeding Disorders Coalition will be involved in the conversations regarding mail orders, specialty drugs and reimbursement.
Representatives from various insurance companies including CVS Caremark, United Health Group, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, as well as the New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage will also be among the participants.
The roundtable discussion is slated for 11 a.m. today in the the New York State Senate Hearing Room at 250 Broadway, 19th Floor in Manhattan.
Squadron Report On LLC Abuse In Election Laws, Holds Town Meeting
Northern Brooklyn State Sen. Daniel Squadron today will announce the results from his report on the proliferation of the Limited Liability Company (LLC) Loophole. The report found significant incidence of LLC Loophole abuse in state elections contributions.
Squadron’s report analyzed the 11,000 LLC contributions made in the full 2014 fiscal year. The report found that median contributions from LLCs were six times higher than median individual contributions, and that many corporations used multiple LLCs to skirt $5,000 campaign contribution limits.
The report also found that multiple LLCs could be traced to single addresses, with actual LLC ownership information often effectively obscured. In one instance, a contributor’s address was listed as “123 – IDK.” The report outlines a number of ways to address much of the most egregious LLC Loophole abuse.
Several elected officials including Boerum Hill Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon along with Citizens Union and other election law reform advocates will join Squadron for the release of the report. It is slated for 2 p.m., today at 250 Broadway, 20th Floor, Conference Room 2009 in Manhattan.
Then later this evening, Squadron will host a Brooklyn Neighborhood Issues Town Hall as a follow-up event to concerns heard at his annual Community Convention, held this past April.
Among the issues slated for discussion include parks & open space, healthcare, school overcrowding, and concerns around local development.
The Town Hall is slated for 6:30 p.m., tonight at Brooklyn Law School Student Lounge, 1st Floor, 250 Joralemon Street between Boerum Place and Court Street.
