CREATES Act Advances in Senate

The Senate Judiciary Committee today voted 16-5 to approve the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act (S. 974). The AHA-supported bill would allow generic drug manufacturers facing certain anticompetitive delay tactics to bring an action in federal court for injunctive relief. More than 45 organizations, including the AHA, last week urged the committee to support the legislation to “end the anticompetitive abuses utilized by some brand-name manufacturers, help restore the balance between innovation and affordability that Congress intended, and achieve the goal of more affordable prescription drugs.” The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation will save $3.8 billion over 10 years.