Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, hailed last night’s HELP Committee approval of an amendment that will lower drug costs by creating a pathway for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve new competitors for biologic drugs, like vaccines and cancer treatments.
“Biologic drugs account for some of the highest costs that people with cancer and other patients face,” Enzi said. “Our amendment will help lower costs for patients so they can get the treatments they need, and it will save billions for taxpayers over the next ten years.” The amendment, offered by Senator Enzi, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) provides for the first time a pathway to approve new competitors for biologics, while protecting incentives to invest and develop new cures for diseases like multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our amendment puts patients first by striking the right balance between saving money and preserving incentives to develop new, life-saving drugs,” Enzi said. The amendment enjoys the strong support of a wide range of patient advocates, researchers and health care providers.
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