Diverse Coalition of Purchasers Respond to BIO CEO Fly-In: There is Another Side to The Story

WASHINGTON, April 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With dozens of biotech and drug company CEOs flying to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress, The Coalition for a Competitive Pharmaceutical Market (CCPM) today released a new ad urging members to keep the best interests of patients in mind as they consider legislation to create a workable approval pathway for safe, effective and affordable biogeneric medicines.

The ad, "What If Patients Had Wings?," states that meaningful biogenerics legislation should ensure that patients have access to life saving biogeneric medicines sooner rather than later. Such legislation must strike the balance of fostering innovation without harming patient access through excessive and unprecedented market exclusivity which simply extends brand monopolies and stifles competition. A bill that does not achieve this objective will be an empty promise to patients.

A broad coalition of patients, seniors, consumers, businesses, labor, pharmacists, health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and generics supplemented this effort by sending a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell and Ranking Member Joe Barton reiterating its principles for workable and balanced biogenerics legislation that:

    1.  Empowers the FDA to use its expertise to determine on a case by case
        basis what scientific data they need to approve comparable and
        interchangeable products.
    2.  Does not include administrative barriers that impede FDA's ability to
        approve safe and effective biogenerics.
    3.  Provides a clear framework for interchangeability that is immediately
        operative and does not require additional congressional action.
    4.  Ensures predictability for when scientifically-proven, safe and
        effective biogenerics can enter the marketplace.
    5.  Provides a clear and timely resolution to patent disputes and
        prohibits frivolous suits that restrict access to biogenerics and
        delay competition in the marketplace.
    6.  Creates a balanced process that encourages innovation by both brand
        and generic companies and expands access to prescription medications
        for consumers.
    7.  Does not create a system of endless monopoly pricing and no
        opportunity for competition to enter the marketplace.

    The following is the text of the latest CCPM ad:

    What If Patients Had Wings?

    Executives from the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical and biotech
    industry are descending on Congress...flying to Washington to make sure
    their monopolies are protected.

    Meanwhile countless Americans are struggling to pay for high-priced
    biopharmaceutical medicines.

    These patients can't fly to Washington on their own, but they are making
    their voices heard.

    Numerous organizations representing patients, seniors, consumers, labor,
    and businesses support legislation to establish a workable approval
    pathway for biogenerics.

    Americans need balanced legislation that fosters innovation without
    excessive market exclusivity which does nothing more than extend
    monopolies, stifle competition and keep patients waiting for affordable
    medicines.

    BIO and PhRMA say that want a biogenerics pathway, but their policy is an
    empty promise to patients.

CCPM supports public policies that facilitate timely access to affordable pharmaceuticals. Visit www.competitiverx.com for more information and a list of CCPM members.

Contact: Katie Braden Huffard, 202-255-5216;

               Andrea Hofelich, 703-647-2495; Charles Cote, 202-207-3605