“If we are afraid, if we throw away this opportunity, then history will judge us very harshly,” Mr Papandreou said in a final appeal for support before the vote.

The vote is not binding on the FDA, but approval would lend powerful support for a final decision by the agency charged with protecting the nation's food and drug supplies.

Fortunately, the new API is a positive addition and should represent the final significant change to printing support for some time.