AARP believes that any final health care reform package must create an FDA approval process for generic biologic drugs so Americans can get these life-saving medicines at a price they can afford.
“Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act” (H.R. 1427/S.726) should be included in a health care reform bill.
AARP is supporting this bill because it would:
· Create a process for the FDA to approve lower-cost generic versions of biologic drugs, which are used to treat serious diseases such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis and can cost $10,000 or more per month.
· Get safe, lower-cost versions of these life-saving medicines to patients across the country;
· Give the FDA the power to approve generic versions of biologics five years after the brand name drug can be sold to consumers; and
· Provide a common-sense balance between encouraging competition and innovation and increasing access to these life-saving medicines.
AARP does not support proposals that force consumers to wait 12 years or more for
affordable biologics –that’s far too long to deny patients the financial relief they need from the costs of their treatments.
As the largest organization representing Americans age 50 and older, AARP members are especially burdened by the high costs of biologic drugs.
AARP members use more prescription drugs than any other age group, and also have the highest prevalence of the chronic conditions that can be treated using biologic drugs.
The skyrocketing cost of biologics is not just hurting individuals. Employers and public programs like Medicare and Medicaid can’t continue to pay these astronomical prices.
In 2007, the Medicare program spent $13 billion on biologics. Six biologic drugs accounted for more than $7 billion (or 43%) of Medicare Part B spending on prescription drugs in 2007. Medicare beneficiaries pay 20 percent of those costs.
Contact your two Senators and House of Representative member and voice your support for this issue. Contact information is available by clicking on each name.
Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Jim DeMint
Rep. Henry Brown - 1st District
Rep. Joe Wilson - 2nd District
Rep. Gresham Barrett - 3rd District
Rep. Bob Inglis - 4th District
Rep. John Spratt - 5th District
Rep. James Clyburn - 6th District
Putting the FREEZE on IDentity Theft
