Top Senator Pushes Obama for Fast Action on Cheaper Generic Drugs

Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) is urging President Barack Obama to have his administration ready to quickly implement pending legislation that would promote access to less-expensive generic version of costly biologic drugs.

Waxman, chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent the President a letter today asking Obama to prepare for passage of H.R. 1427, also called the “Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act.” The bill, introduced by Waxman in March 2009, would allow the Food and Drug Administration to approve affordable generic biologic drugs, which are among the most expensive and fastest-growing classes of drugs.

A biologic drug is a substance made from a living organism or its products that is used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer and other diseases. Antibodies, interleukins, and vaccines are common types of biologic drugs, which also are called biologic agents and biological agents.

‘A Top Priority’

Waxman said passage of the bipartisan proposed law “is one of my highest priorities this year” and that Obama should get the FDA organized ahead of time so that when the legislation passes, consumers struggling with the skyrocketing costs of health care will see less expensive biological generic drugs in pharmacies as quickly as possible.

“When this legislation passes, it is important for FDA to being implementing the program as soon as possible,” Waxman wrote the President. “I urge the administration to consider what steps can be taken under existing authority to prepare and even begin to use a pathway for generic biologics.”

Waxman also asked Obama to authorize an analysis of the long-term savings to Medicare and Medicaid that would be realized by the use of cheaper generic drugs rather than brand name drugs.

“Generic biologics are a significant way to control costs and I agree with you that controlling costs is integral to reforming our health care system,” Waxman said in his letter to Obama, who has cited the high costs of certain drugs as a problem in driving up the costs of U.S. health care.

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