Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1361, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to facilitate more timely review and adoption of drug product therapeutic equivalency information and to clarify prescription drug labeling requirements.

Testimony supporting this measure was received by your Committee from the Department of Health and Hawaii Pharmacists Association.

Your Committee finds that this measure is a collaborative effort involving the Department of Health, Drug Product Selection Board (Board) and industry members such as the Hawaii Medical Association, individual practitioners, and pharmacists. This measure allows the Board to use the "Compendia of Therapeutically Equivalent Generic Drugs" also known as the "Orange Book", which makes for more timely approval of therapeutically equivalent generic drugs. This would result in more timely removal of nonequivalent drugs to reduce adverse patient outcomes. The Orange Book is a published document, which comes online as the Compendia before it is printed. Your Committee finds that this measure will enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and safety in dispensing therapeutically equivalent generic drug products.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments to reflect proper drafting style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1361, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1361, S.D. 2.