MassMEDIC News


		August 2005

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State Legislative Update

Economic Stimulus Package/User Fee Tax Credit

Mass. House Speaker Sal DiMasi and members of his leadership team unveiled a package of economic development incentives at a July 28th State House press conference. Among the provisions of the "Economic Stimulus bill", House leaders included the MassMEDIC-sponsored tax credit for payment of medical device user fees to the FDA. The measure would provide medical device manufacturers a 100% tax credit for user fee payments associated with products developed or manufactured in the Commonwealth.

The Senate is expected to introduce its own version of economic development legislation next month, with final legislative consideration expected by November.

Reprocessed Single-Use Devices

The Joint Legislative Committee on Public Health, co-chaired by Rep. Peter Koutoujian (Waltham) and Sen. Susan Fargo (Lincoln), will hold a hearing on legislation requiring patient consent for use of reprocessed single-use devices and releasing OEMs of any liability related to such devices. S. 1321, introduced by Sen. Susan Tucker (Andover), will be among several bills heard before the Public Health Committee on October 19.

10-Chemical Ban Bill

Legislation banning several chemicals and chemical substances, including DEHP, was heard before the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in late June. A ban on DEHP would have a serious impact on the medical device industry, which uses the substance in a wide variety of medical products. A delegation of MassMEDIC members met with the co-chairs of the Committee, Sen. Pam Resor (Action) and Rep. Frank Smizik (Brookline) prior to the hearings and submitted a written statement in opposition to the legislation. No further action is expected on this legislation at this time.

The State’s FY 06 budget did include funding for a study by researchers at UMass Lowell to study the toxicity of five chemical substances, including DEHP. Governor Romney vetoed the line-item for this project, however, the State Legislature overrode the Governor’s action.