Congress Should Modernize How Prescription Information is Delivered

Eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and inefficiency in government and restoring common sense has been a priority for President Trump and Congress for 2025.  As part of this effort, lawmakers should turn their attention to eliminating an unnecessary, wasteful, and outdated rule that would modernize how critical medical information is disseminated.  Modernizing this rule would restore common sense to a government program and help reduce environmental impacts.

Regulations dating back to 1962 require that drug manufacturers transmit prescribing information to pharmacists on paper, instead of electronically.  This is information that drug manufacturers send to pharmacists and healthcare workers but does not go to patients.  Each printed copy of the prescribing information averages around 30 to 45 pages long, and the process of getting the information to pharmacists is slow, taking on average 8 to 12 months, making the information outdated and obsolete by the time pharmacists receive it.

The information that is transmitted from manufacturers to pharmacists often times must be revised and updated, which means this process has to be repeated several times for the same drug.  A July 2013 Government Accountability Office report noted that “revisions can often be made to drug labeling as more data about the drug becomes available from its wider use by patients, according to FDA officials.  In calendar year 2010, FDA reported 747 changes to drug labeling; this number increased to 975 in calendar year 2011, and to 1,357 in calendar year 2012.  Because it takes time to print new labeling and incorporate it into new drug packaging, some drugs that have already been shipped to their distribution points might be on the market with labeling that is out of date.”  Modernizing this regulation and allowing drug companies to transmit this information electronically would enable pharmacists to receive the updated information nearly instantly, rather than months later.

The FDA attempted to modernize this practice and allow this information to be transmitted electronically in 2014, but Congress used a provision in an appropriations bill to block this rulemaking.

On June 11, 2025, Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced S. 2027, the Prescription Information Modernization Act of 2025.  This legislation, which was previously introduced by Sens. Mullin and Booker and Reps. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) in the 118th Congress, would allow the FDA to create a rule that would enable drug manufacturers to transmit prescription information electronically.  Allowing drug manufacturers to transmit this information electronically will reduce waste and allow pharmacists receive drug information more efficiently and timely.

The way prescription information is currently sent to pharmacists is outdated and unnecessary.  Congress should support S. 2027 and allow the FDA to modernize this process.  This legislation will finally bring this process into the 21st century and ensure that pharmacists get this important information as soon as possible.