GPhA responds to Senate generics hearings

WASHINGTON — As the Senate investigates the impact of the rising costs of generics, organizations like the National Community Pharmacists Association are weighing in on the debate. The Generic Pharmaceutical Association commented Wednesday on the hearings and what proposed changes mean for the industry. 

“The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) commends the Senate Aging Committee for recognizing that competition from generic drugs continues to hold down health costs for American patients,” GPhA president and CEO Chip Davis said. “In fact, generic drugs are 88% of prescriptions but only 28% of pharmaceutical costs, according to the 2015 Generic Drug Savings in the U.S. report. Policies that promote generic competition help ensure patient access to these safe, effective and affordable medicines. However, several suggestions floated today could compromise patient safety if adopted.”

Among the proposals the organization takes issue with is wider compounding of affordable alternatives, which GPhA said would create a safety risk for consumers using the non-Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, and importing drugs from other countries would, the group said, undermining current supply chain controls and the standards that the FDA has established. 

GPhA proposed the FDA address its approval backlog and called for wider generics use for low-income Medicare beneficiaries, as well as calling for passage of the FAST Generics Act and the repeal of a section of this year’s budget bill that that increases Medicaid rebates for generics. 

“GPhA will continue to drive a constructive dialogue on increasing generic competition to lower health costs while working with Congress, FDA and others to prioritize patient access, savings and safety,” Davis said.