S. 1865: Patient Access to Medical Innovation Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-11-15 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-11-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Patient Access to Medical Innovation Act

Plain summary

Patient Access to Medical Innovation Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend for five years and revise the program for humanitarian exemptions for pediatric medical devices. Removes provisions requiring the device to have been approved on or after September 27, 2007. Eliminates the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an annual distribution number setting the maximum number of devices that could be distributed under the exemption. Sets such number as the number of devices needed to treat, diagnose, or cure a population of 4,000 individuals in the United States. (Currently, this is the maximum number the Secretary may set.) Eliminates the limitation on the number of waivers the Secretary may grant from conflict of interest provisions pertaining to service on an advisory committee. Requires the Secretary to ensure that each determination to waive such provisions considers the scope and magnitude of the financial interest at issue with the public health need for the expertise of the member on the committee.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Patient Access to Medical Innovation Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s1865.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s1865 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112