[Ip-health] STUDENT GROUPS AND CONSUMER ADVOCATES DEMAND WITHDRAWAL OF UNIVERSITY SUPPORT FOR HARMFUL LEGISLATION

[Anjali Dalal]

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Contact: Eleanor Blume
Phone: 781.640.7750
Email: eleanor.blume@gmail.com

BERKELEY =96 Today, the American Medical Student Association, Essential
Action, and Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) joined
together in demanding that the Association of American Universities
(AAU) withdraw its endorsement of H.R. 1548, the =93Pathway for
Biosimilars Acts=94 in a letter sent to AAU President Robert Berdahl.
AAU has so far resisted calls to rescind its support of the
unjustifiably long twelve years of brand exclusivity permitted by the
bill.  Such a monopoly period would delay the introduction of generic
versions of biologics (called follow-on biologics or biosimilars)
which include vaccines as well as life-saving cancer, arthritis, and
diabetes drugs, keeping medicine prices high and out of the hands of
many consumers in the U.S. and developing countries.  The groups are
also asking Congress to include a reasonable period of exclusivity
that will safeguard affordable access.  Small molecule medicines such
as Prilosec have exclusivity terms of 5 years.

Economic analyses have repeatedly refuted the AAU=92s claim, repeated by
the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), that twelve years of
exclusivity are needed for sufficient cost recovery to sustain
innovation.  A recent paper by the Federal Trade Commission estimates
that the introduction of follow-on biologics would generate tremendous
savings on the $40.3 billion U.S. consumers spend on biologics each
year, some of which cost tens of thousands of dollars per course of
treatment.   The extended exclusivity terms in H.R. 1548 and several
other legislative proposals would maximize royalties from biologics
patents licensed by universities, which are non-profit institutions,
at the cost of access.

=93AAU=92s support for H.R. 1548 truly threatens the core identity of
universities as non-profit organizations dedicated to the creation and
dissemination of knowledge for the public good,=94 said Ethan Guillen,
Executive Director of UAEM.

Each year the federal government =96 that is, U.S. taxpayers =96 provides
billions of dollars in research support, accounting for more than 60%
of university research budgets.  It is unconscionable for federally
funded universities, represented by AAU, to so callously obstruct
taxpayer access to their life-saving therapeutics.  This contradiction
is even more poignant at a time when individuals and the federal
government struggle to control ballooning healthcare costs.  An
excessive term of exclusivity will further impede affordable access to
critical vaccines, including potentially those for pandemic flu
outbreaks.  For those ten million people, primarily in developing
countries, who die every year because they do not have access to basic
medicine, the exclusivity terms in H.R. 1548 will further exacerbate
the access gap by delaying the onset of lower-cost follow-on
biologics, including critically needed vaccines.

Developing a process for getting biosimilars to market is a critical
step to furthering access to affordable medicines.  However, in
regards to exclusivity terms, universities must show courage in
adopting evidence-based stances that benefit society, and not simply
act as echo chambers for PhRMA and BIO priorities.  Alternate
proposals currently being considered include the =93Promoting Innovation
and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act=94 introduced in both the House
(H.R. 1427) and the Senate (S.726), proposing a five year exclusivity
term, and several proposals for a seven year exclusivity term.  Which
one of these competing proposals -- 12 to 14 years or five to seven
years -- succeeds will shape access to life-saving medicines in the
U.S. and abroad and the ability of our health system to control
ballooning costs.  The time to act is now.

The letter to the AAU is available at:
http://www.essentialmedicine.org/uaem-amsa-and-essential-action-demand-aau-=
rescind-support-of-excessive-data-exclusivity/

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About UAEM
Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) is a coalition of
students at over 40 top research institutions across the United
States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.  UAEM=92s mission is to
ensure that people in developing countries have access to medicines
developed in universities and that university medical research
addresses the needs of the majority of the world=92s population.  As an
organization which values innovation, we work to empower students to
find new ways to improve access to health throughout the world.
www.essentialmedicine.org

About the American Medical Student Association
The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), with more than a
half-century history of medical student activism, is the oldest and
largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the
United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit
organization committed to representing the concerns of
physicians-in-training. With more than 62,000 members, including
medical and premedical students, residents and practicing physicians,
AMSA is committed to improving medical training as well as advancing
the profession of medicine. AMSA focuses on four strategic priorities,
including advocating for quality, affordable health care for all,
global health equity, enriching medicine through diversity and
professional integrity, development and student well being. To learn
more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the
organization, please visit us online at www.amsa.org/.

About Essential Action
Essential Action is a public health and corporate accountability group
located in Washington, DC.
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