Bill Altering Orphan Drug Act Passes House
The legislation aims to close a loophole that provides drugmakers with an extended monopoly and the opportunity for big profits on drugs for rare diseases. An orphan drug bill has also been introduced in the Senate.
Stat:
House Passes Bill To Close Loophole Giving Drug Makers 'Unfair' Monopolies
Seeking to boost competition in the pharmaceutical industry, the House passed a bill that would close a loophole in a law that was meant to encourage development of rare disease drugs, but that had inadvertently precluded availability of lower-cost versions of medicines. The legislation was proposed last year after a company complained that it was unable to win approval from the Food and Drug Administration to sell an opioid addiction treatment because of a stipulation in the Orphan Drug Act. (Silverman, 11/18)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
The Hill:
Senate Democrats Introduce Bill To Shore Up PPE Supply
Senate Democrats on Wednesday introduced a bill that would shore up the supply of protective equipment for health care workers as the U.S. faces another surge of COVID-19 cases. The bill would appropriate $10 billion for the government to purchase large quantities of masks, gloves, gowns and face shields, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters Wednesday. (Hellmann, 11/18)
The Hill:
Bipartisan Lawmakers Call For Expedited Diabetes Research
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle Wednesday called for bipartisan policies to expedite diabetes research. Speaking at The Hill's Diabetes and The Future of Healthcare Reform event, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) discussed what she saw as some of the obstacles to better care. (Baker, 11/18)
The Hill:
AOC, Progressive Dems Attack Corporate Greed During Health Care Discussion
Several progressive members of the House Democratic Caucus joined a livestreamed conversation on health care reform on Wednesday and attacked what they said was widespread greed and fraud in the pharmaceutical and health care industries. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) spoke at the event hosted by the left-leaning Center for Health and Democracy, where they and former Cigna executive Wendell Potter, now a "Medicare for All" advocate, discussed the state of the U.S. health care system. (Bowden, 11/18)
Also —
CNN:
Two More House Members Announce They Have Covid-19
Two more House members announced Wednesday they have tested positive for Covid-19 and are isolating, the latest in a string of diagnoses that have hit Capitol Hill. The cases brings CNN's tally to 26 House members and eight senators that have so far tested positive or been presumed positive. (Diaz and Wilson, 11/18)
The Hill:
Capitol's COVID-19 Spike Could Be Bad Thanksgiving Preview
Congress is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases among lawmakers while doing exactly what Americans are being warned not to do for Thanksgiving this year: gathering together after traveling from all over the country. In the last week alone, seven members of Congress have tested positive for COVID-19, with three others quarantining after exposure. (Marcos, 11/18)
