U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) is pushing back against anti-generic drug tactics used by some name-brand drug manufacturers that hamper competition in the prescription drug market.
Sen. Daines on March 12 joined in cosponsoring the bipartisan Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, S. 974, which was introduced on Apr. 27, 2017 by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The bill now has 20 cosponsors, including U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
“Keeping the market competitive will increase Montanans’ access to safe, affordable drugs,” Sen. Daines said.
If enacted, S. 974 would enable generic drugmakers to pursue legal action in federal court when name-brand drugmakers attempt to block efforts to obtain samples of a name-brand drug that are required to demonstrate product equivalency for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, according to a summary provided by Daines’ office. The bill also would give the FDA more authority to deviate from shared safety protocols in drug approvals, which name-brand drugmakers have used to undercut the efforts of generic drug manufacturers to obtain FDA approval, according to the senator’s staff.
Sen. Daines’ support for S. 974 likewise has been endorsed by lawmakers in his home state, including Montana State Reps. Ron Ehil (R-Hamilton), Greg Hertz (R-Polson), and Jon Knokey (R-Bozeman).
“I couldn’t be happier that Sen. Daines is advocating for increased access to affordable prescriptions for everyday Montanans,” said State Rep. Ehil, who has worked on the issue at the state level and said he knows “how important it is for rural Montana.”
State Rep. Hertz said the proposed federal bill would save consumers billions of dollars on prescription drug costs each year, which have “become a significant share to many Montanans’ health care expenditures. This is just one step which could reduce those ever-increasing costs and provide generic alternatives to consumers.”
At the same time, said State Rep. Knokey, S. 974 also helps support the efforts of elected officials who are working at all levels to “create ways to help Americans victimized by the deep issues within our healthcare system.”
S. 974 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.