[Ip-health] Eshoo and Barton team up to block generic biologic medicines

[James Love]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-love/eshoo-and-barton-team-up_b_248847.=
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Eshoo and Barton team up to block generic biologic medicines
July 31, 2009

In a few minutes, Representatives Anna Eshoo and Joe Barton will team up to=
 block the registration of generic biologic medicines. They are doing this =
by way of an amendment to the health reform bill that will replace a very g=
ood provision drafted by Henry Waxman to one backed by PhRMA, BIO and sever=
al companies lobbying on this issue.

This Eshoo/Barton amendment on "Biosimiliars" is one of several big disappo=
intments in the health reform legislation concerning cost control for medic=
ines. With PhRMA running ads supporting the bill, there is little mystery a=
bout what is happening.... a complete collapse of the Democrats frequent ca=
mpaign promises to protect consumers from high prices for new medicines.

The Eshoo/Barton amendment, which has the support of many newly pro-PhRMA d=
emocrats, will extend the period of monopolies for biologic medicines, when=
 compared to the original Waxman text. The only question is how long. Part =
of the harm will be the longer period prohibiting generic suppliers from re=
lying upon evidence that medicines are safe and provide therapeutic benefit=
s. Much of the other harm will come from a number of technical changes in t=
he bill that make it much easier for incumbent firms to block entry through=
 technical issues, extended litigation, and ever-greening of protection fro=
m small medically unimportant changes in protected medicines.

In the period leading up to this moment, the biotech and pharma industry ha=
s spent millions, much of it hiring well known democrats, such as Howard De=
an, to push the anti-consumer amendment.

I'll post the roll-call after the vote.

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