Bioidentical Hormones - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR LARRY CRAIG
Senator CRAIG. Well, to the Chairman and to you, the Ranking
Member, let me thank you for bringing this hearing together.
I will ask unanimous consent that my full statement be a part
of the record, Gordon. Let me say-
Senator SMITH. Without objection.
Senator CRAIG [continuing]. Just one thing..
One of the expectations, I believe, that Americans have of their
Government is, in part, to keep them safe. This is especially true
in a protection from pharmaceuticals whose potential negative side
effects outweigh their potential benefits. Americans want to know
they can take a drug that is prescribed by their physician with the
knowledge that this drug will treat or cure what ails them.
However, like all other governmental responsibilities, we must
balance our obligation to protect with our responsibility to allow individual
freedoms. That is a rather precarious balance at times
that we especially try to achieve in the area of medicine, certainly
in the area of pharmaceuticals.
So-I keep wanting to say, Mr. Chairman. Senator Smith-Gordon.
Senator SMITH. "Senator" works fine.
Senator CRAIG. OK.
That is why I think this hearing is important; that you come
back to this issue, as you should, in an area where we may not be
as aggressive or as responsible as we should be.
Thank you.
The prepared statement- of Senator raig rWEn
PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR LARRY CRAIG
Mr. Chairman, I know that we have a lot of witnesses that we want to hear from
today, so I will be brief in my comments. First of all, I want to thank you for holding
this hearing today. <strong>Bioidentical</strong> hormones are a part of the lives of many Americans
and I think the questions surrounding them bear further examination. This hearing
brings together a cross-section of issues: individual freedom to choose alternative
therapies vs. ensuring drug safety.
One of the expectations that Americans have of their government is that we keep
them safe. This includes protection from pharmaceuticals whose potential negative
side effects outweigh their potential benefits. Americans want to know they can take
a drug that is prescribed by their physician with the knowledge that this drug will
treat or cure what ails them. However, like all other governmental responsibilities,
we must balance our obligation to protect with our responsibility to allow individual
freedom.
Many Americans utilize various alternative drug therapies or dietary supplements
as a significant part of their health care regimen. They want the freedom to have
more control of their health and to utilize what they believe are more natural drug
treatments. It is important that we do not eliminate that option.
As Congress, our challenge is to strike the proper balance between these responsibilities.
We must ensure drug safety without infringing upon personal freedom and
choice.
When I first became aware of the concerns surrounding bioidentical hormones, my
first inclination was to keep the government out of the issue. Women should have
the freedom to choose natural treatments that may work better for them. However,
as I have learned more about this issue a few items raised some red flags in my
mind.
Many Americans, and I suspect many American women, are aware of the results
of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Women's Health Initiative relating to
hormone replacement therapy. Unfortunately, the general public does not fully understand
the nuances of the findings. The story people heard was that hormone replacement
therapy was bad for you. And as the witnesses will testify, there was a
significant drop in the number of women using hormone replacement therapy. How-