Policies & Legislation
Generics makers to be penalized for huge price hikes
Legislation was introduced into the US Senate on 20 November 2014 that, if passed, would require generics makers that increase prices dramatically to pay a rebate to Medicaid*.
Trade groups comment on China’s biosimilars guidance
Trade groups: the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the R&D-based Pharmaceutical Association Committee in China (RDPAC), both of which represent originator biologicals companies, have each asked the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) to modify its draft biosimilars guidance.
FDA delays finalization of generics labelling rule
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is delaying the issue of its controversial rule on generics labelling changes, which was expected to be finalized in December 2014, until autumn 2015.
Developments in the US over state biosimilars substitution rules
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still to finalize guidelines regarding biosimilars and has yet to approve a biosimilar. However, despite this fact, many US states are considering, or have introduced, laws related to the substitution of biosimilars at the pharmacy level [1]. The latest US states to weigh in on the biosimilars substitution debate are Idaho and Pennsylvania.
EMA criticized for redaction of AbbVie’s data
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has once again come under fire for the way it is implementing new European transparency rules for pharmaceuticals. The latest criticism of EMA concerns the way the agency is redacting clinical trials data.
Another old drug to see huge price increase in the US
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (Catalyst) is preparing to increase the price of Firdapse (3,4-diaminopyridine) for the rare disorder Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS). This comes despite the fact that the drug’s active ingredient has been on the market in the US for more than 20 years.
India’s policies prevent secondary patenting and encourage generics
Despite criticism by some of India’s policies when it comes to medicines, others see the country’s patent law and practices as favourable to public health, while still being in line with international trade and intellectual property rules.
Endo accused of Opana pay-for-delay
Specialty drugmaker Endo Health Solutions (Endo) has been accused of paying Impax Laboratories (Impax) more than US$112 million to keep their generic version of its powerful painkiller, Opana ER (oxymorphone), off the market from June 2010 to January 2013.
India drops planned price caps on non-essential drugs
The Indian Government has scrapped plans to extend price cuts on both generic and brand-name drugs to include ‘non-essential’ drugs.
Implications of Canadian–European Trade Agreement for generics
On 26 September 2014, Canada and the European Union (EU) successfully concluded negotiations on a trade deal, which will free the movement of goods, services, investment and labour between the two regions. However, some of the provisions in the agreement have been criticized by generics makers for delaying access to medicines by having a negative effect on the generics industry in Canada.
