Energy and Commerce Committee Approves Bill Increasing Federal Funding for Rare Disease Research

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Sept. 5 approved a bill (HR 4014) that would increase the amount of federal research grants given to pharmaceutical companies to develop "orphan drugs," drugs that treat rare diseases, CongressDaily/AM reports. Orphan drugs are considered to be "less economically attractive" for drug companies to develop. To encourage companies to research such treatment, the Rare Diseases Orphan Product Development Act would double the funding for FDA research grants to $25 million annually over four years. A related bill, the Rare Diseases Act of 2002 (HR 4013), was approved the Energy and Commerce Committee in July and would establish an Office of Rare Diseases at NIH. Both House bills correspond with a single Senate bill cosponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). According to an aide to Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), a House floor vote on the two bills could come in two weeks (CongressDaily/AM, 9/6).