Passage of Bipartisan, Market-based CREATES Act Will Be A First Step in the Right Direction But Patients Need Washington to Do Much More
Washington, D.C. – The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing (CSRxP) commended Congress for including the bipartisan, market-based Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act in a spending deal announced Monday and urged lawmakers to keep working to hold Big Pharma accountable and lower prices for American patients.
“By passing the bipartisan, market-based CREATES Act, Congress will take a first step toward holding Big Pharma accountable by cracking down on one of the industry’s favored anti-competitive tactics,” said CSRxP executive director Lauren Aronson. “The CREATES Act will help spur competition by preventing brand name drug makers from blocking generic manufacturers from gaining access to samples they need to bring drugs to market.”
“While CSRxP commends lawmakers for working across party lines to advance this important reform, much more must be done in order to deliver much needed relief for American patients,” Aronson continued. “Big Pharma continues to employ a host of anti-competitive and price-gouging tactics that drive out-of-control prices that hurt American patients and taxpayers.”
“It is absolutely vital Congress keep working to advance additional market-based reforms to hold Big Pharma accountable and lower prescription drug prices after this positive first step,” Aronson added. “The one-in-four Americans who struggle to afford their medications are counting on Washington to build on the unprecedented momentum for action and keep their promise to lower prescription drug prices.”
The CREATES Act would crack down on REMS abuse, an anti-competitive tactic employed by Big Pharma to deny generic manufacturers access to samples of brand name drugs needed to complete U.S. Food and Drug Administration testing. The CREATES Act was passed by the House in May after winning broad bipartisan support advancing through the committee process. The measure was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and has an additional three dozen co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle and representing every region of the country.
Earlier this year, CSRxP was joined by nearly 50 organizations in signing a letter of support for the CREATES Act. Read the full letter HERE.
See CSRxP’s infographic detailing additional measures with significant bipartisan consensus in Congress that lawmakers must keep working to advance HERE.
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