Sales reps may want to start studying. The District of Columbia council voted 7 to 6 to approval a bill that would create the first jurisdiction in the US to license sales reps, The Washington Post reports. The move is being closely watched and is likely to be mimicked by several states.

The vote was a setback for pharma, which reportedly lobbied aggressively against the legislation, known as the SafeRx Act of 2007. The industry argues FDA regs and American Medical Association policies adequately address concerns about info disseminated by reps. “We regret that the council voted in favor of legislation that creates unnecessary financial burdens for the District of Columbia at a time when the money would be better spent addressing a wide array of health care challenges confronting the city including HIV/AIDS, diabetes and heart disease,” PhRMA said in a statement.

But DC Council member David Catania insists reps still misinform doc and patients about the drugs they peddle as they pursue commissions, the Post writes. “For too long, we have allowed profit and paternalism to be our guide for patient safety,” Catania told the Post in an interview after the narrow vote. “The truth is, no one is minding the store.”

Yesterday’s vote, however, will not end the debate. The council must vote again Jan. 8 on final approval of the legislation.