WASHINGTON —U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) introduced the “Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019.” This bill will prohibit the practice of “pay-for-delay,” in which brand name drug companies compensate generics to delay the entry of generic drugs into the market. This practice leads to decreased competition and increased drug prices for Americans.
“I am proud to introduce the Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act, which will help address the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. No American should be forced to make the choice between paying their bills or buying their pills. House Democrats are working every day to stop companies from taking advantage of hard-working Americans and rigging the system. For too long, brand name drug companies have reaped the benefits of limited competition, which forced consumers to pay more for their medications — that ends now. This legislation will take a meaningful step toward stopping this detrimental and deceitful behavior and hold drug companies accountable,” said Rush.
According to a Federal Trade Commission study, these types of anti-competitive deals costs Americans $3.5 billion in higher drug prices ever year. The Protecting Consumers Access to Generics Drug Act prohibits these anti-competitive agreements for both new drugs and biological products and creates a civil penalty to further disincentivize pay-for-delay agreements between name brand drugs and generics.
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