PCMA urges lawmakers to reject one biosimilars bill, support another

WASHINGTON An organization representing pharmacy benefit managers has launched an advertising campaign designed to urge policymakers to reject biosimilars legislation that gives long exclusivity periods to biotech drugs, and instead support legislation that offers a five-year exclusivity model similar to the Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984.

“This bi-partisan bill will increase access to life-saving medications, save billions and ensure continued innovation for new groundbreaking biologics,” Pharmaceutical Care Management Association president and CEO Mark Merritt said, referring to the Waxman bill. “It’s one of those rare ‘win-wins’ supported by consumers, ‘budget hawks,’ business, labor and policymakers on both sides of the aisle.”

Democratic California Rep. Henry Waxman introduced the "Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act" last month, co-sponsored by Nathan Deal, R-Ga., Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo. Members of the Senate introduced a companion bill later in the month. Both bills are modeled on the Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984, which paved the way for generic pharmaceutical drugs. Members of the House also introduced a competing bill, H.R. 1548, which would allow up to 14 years of market exclusivity instead of five.

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association supports the Waxman bill and its companion in the Senate, while the Biotechnology Industry Organization supports H.R. 1548.