GPhA urges passage of 21st Century Cures Act as it heads to House

WASHINGTON — The 21st Century Cures Act, which includes provisions to fund the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act that would work to address the public health crisis around prescription drug abuse, is likely headed to a vote this week, and the Generic Pharmaceutical Association is calling for its passage. 

 

“GPhA recognizes this bill is a bipartisan achievement that should spur innovation and benefit patients,” GPhA president and CEO Chip Davis said recently. “We urge Congress to expeditiously pass this bill.”

 

Davis notes that the 21st Century Cures Act lacks provisions it supported around increased prescription drug pricing competition, but said that the organization was looking to other legislation that could accomplish that goal. 

 

“We will continue working with Congress to find solutions to rising drug costs that bring safe and effective generic drugs to market more quickly and ensure more patients and payers have access to them,” Davis said. “Towards that end, GPhA will continue to support and seek enactment of the bi-partisan CREATES Act sponsored by Sens. [Chuck] Grassley, [Mike] Lee, [Patrick] Leahy, and [Amy] Klobuchar and the FAST Generics Act sponsored by Reps. [Steve] Stivers and [Peter] Welch. “