Over-the-Counter Drug, Rural Health Bills Advance in Senate

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday advanced bills to reauthorize over-the-counter drug review programs and rural health grants.

The Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments (S. 2292) reauthorizes the Food and Drug Administration’s authority to collect industry fees and review OTC drugs through Oct. 1, 2030, and includes a provision to speed up evaluations of sunscreen. The OMUFA program collected $32 million in fees in 2024.

The measure also requires FDA to clarify what types of drug categories patients might access over-the-counter, and creates a framework under which the FDA can interact with drug ...