Morgan Griffith on Allergy Shots

From U.S. Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA-9):

"
Recently, I was contacted by my allergists about the United States Pharmacopeia’s (USP) proposed revisions to sterility standards for the compounding of drugs, including allergen immunotherapy. USP is a non-profit organization that publishes drug formularies and quality standards, and these standards are sometimes enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for drug manufacturers and pharmacies. My allergists are concerned that these new standards may have adverse effects on the availability and affordability of allergy shots, so my office is reviewing the proposal and plans to meet with USP to discuss it.

As you are aware, I led the charge in Congress to enact new, common-sense regulations on compounding pharmacies which distinguished them from illegal drug manufacturers like the New England Compounding Center, whose tainted sterile injections led to a fungal meningitis outbreak of 2012. In fact, the bipartisan legislation that I worked on called at one point for national adoption of USP sterility standards for all compounding pharmacies. I believe we need such a standard to protect the public health of our citizens, but likewise, I want to ensure that any revisions do not become so burdensome that we eliminate affordable access to useful treatments like custom allergy shots that many in our tree- and forest floor-rich area receive.

If you, like my allergists, may have a federal problem, please don’t hesitate to let my team and I know. Part of my job as your Representative is to try and help you address federal issues you may be having. Of course, I can’t work to fix a problem if I am not aware it exists.

If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives.

"