NCL urges Congress to rethink health reform language on biologics

The National Consumers League has sent a letter to Congressional leaders expressing concerns with the current generic biologics language included in the health reform package. Improving access to life-savings medicines must remain the top priority at this historic moment of healthcare reform, and the current biologics language, which would grant an unprecedented 12-year period of monopoly protection to the most expensive medicines, falls short of that goal.

NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg's letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi cites concern with the current language, under which companies will be able to make minor structural changes to these products in order to obtain multiple 12-year exclusivities. The combination of these two issues could keep competition and consumer savings at bay for years to come.

Read Sally Greenberg's letter to Congressional leaders here.