Gallagher Introduces Bill to Require Allergen Labeling in Medication

Mike Gallagher | Official U.S. House headshot

By Green Bay Reporter Report

Jun 25, 2023

On June 22, Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Dean Phillips (D-MN), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Mike Sherrill (D-NJ) introduced the bipartisan Allergen Disclosure In Non-Food Articles (ADINA) Act. Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT) introduced a companion in the Senate. Rep. Gallagher has been a strong supporter of food allergy legislation, like the ADINA Act, throughout his time in Congress. For over four years, Rep. Gallagher has regularly met with Adel Schneider (Delly), a food allergy advocate from Appleton, who successfully advocated for Rep. Gallagher to co-sponsor the FASTER Act. In their most recent meeting in March, Delly and Rep. Gallagher discussed the ADINA Act.

“Currently, Americans with allergies must take extraordinary steps to determine if the drugs they need will cause an allergic reaction and harm their health,” said Rep. Gallagher. “This bill brings transparency to pharmaceutical drug labeling and helps ensure any American with allergies can easily determine whether or not they can take certain medicines.”

“Everyone has a right to know what’s going into their body, whether it be medication or food,” said Rep. Phillips. “Without proper labeling, taking medication for a simple illness could have detrimental or even deadly side effects for people living with severe food allergies. I’m grateful Adina and her family brought this issue to my attention, and I encourage my colleagues to support the ADINA Act for a safer, healthier future for those with food allergies.”

“Protecting the health and safety of its citizens is one of the most basic functions of government. That’s why I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the ADINA Act, which will require the labeling of prescription and over-the-counter drugs for the top-nine allergens and gluten,” said Rep. Lawler. “Patients have a right to know what is in the medications they are given so that something designed to help them doesn’t wind up hurting them as a result of an allergic reaction. I will continue working with my colleagues to move this common sense bipartisan legislation forward.”

“Over 90 percent of medications contain potential allergens for people with life-threatening food allergies, intolerances, or Celiac disease,” said Rep Sherill. “Yet too many medicine containers do not provide the appropriate warnings of this threat on their labels. The over 327,000 New Jerseyans with food allergies should not have to fear taking medicine that could cause a harmful reaction. This bipartisan and commonsense change to federal guidelines will help protect millions of Americans from dangerous exposure."

The bill was named in honor of Adina Togal, an 11 year old from Minnesota, who became sick after taking medication with undisclosed allergens. If enacted, the ADINA Act would amend the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require labeling of major food allergens or gluten-containing grains on drugs intended for human use and hold medications to the same labeling standards as food products.

The ADINA Act is endorsed by major medical and allergy advocacy organizations, including: