Alaska can be a leader

To the editor:

Several other countries in the world have access to prescription drugs that either haven’t been approved by the Federal Drug Administration or are going through a multi-year approval process.

For instance, if there is a promising new cancer drug available in Europe or the Far East, it could take many years and billions of dollars for final FDA approval. During this lengthy approval process, countless cancer patients could die while awaiting FDA approval, whereas otherwise they may have been able to receive cutting-edge treatment. Our health care treatment is second to none, but our access to timely new FDA approved drugs is last to just about everyone. I just heard a stinging criticism from someone from Bahrain to the effect that they can get new drugs years before the U.S. — the place that supposedly has the best health care system in the world.

How can we streamline this process?

The federal government regulates prescription drugs through the FDA under the interstate commerce clause. Why not bypass the FDA by passing a state law that allows intrastate-only drug production, treatment and research? Through the passage of such a law we could become a state on the cutting edge of medical treatment and be a leader, not a follower.

How could Alaska make this work? First of all, there is some legal precedent for individual states taking back sovereignty in certain areas within their borders that they have relinquished to Washington over the years. This trend of states taking back their individual constitutional sovereignty is increasing in such diverse areas as gun rights, medical marijuana and illegal immigration. It’s time to add prescription drugs to the list.

How could such a law be written and enacted? First of all, you could write into the statute a clause that gives intrastate approval to any prescription drug that is tested and approved by a sovereign nation such as Canada, a European nation, Japan or Australia. If they stamp a new drug as tested and approved, so should Alaska and let our doctors decide whether or not to prescribe the drug.

Along with the law we should also establish a Texas-style medical liability cap along with a pharmaceutical liability cap. If we did that, Alaska would open up an entire new industry here as pharmaceutical companies, doctors and patients flock here.

We are the largest state in the Union and we can lead, follow or get out of the way. It’s time to lead.

Daniel Hamm

Palmer