Help Include Follow-On Biologics in Health Care Reform

Four of the six multiple sclerosis treatments are biologic drugs that cost between $16,500 to more than $30,000 per year. Biologic drugs are produced from living cell cultures rather than synthesized chemically as in traditional drugs. No generic (or follow-on versions) of biological therapies are available because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not yet have the authority to review those drugs.

Congress must pass legislation in order to create a regulatory pathway for the FDA to approve safe and effective follow-on versions of biologic drugs. As Congress prepares health care reform legislation, now is the time to make a difference.

Take Action!

• Click here to send your Member of Congress an e-mail to encourage them to include legislation for follow-on biologics in the broader health care reform package.
• Mention the Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act (H.R. 1427 and S. 726) as an ideal model for this legislation.

Background

The FDA does not have the authority to review applications for generic or follow-on alternatives to biologic drugs like other counties do. Because no generic versions of these drugs exist, the cost of biologic treatments can keep them out of reach for those who need them. More affordable follow-on versions could provide safe alternative treatment options and help alleviate the cost burden on families living with chronic diseases.

Legislation to introduce a competitive pathway for follow-on biologics can help spur new innovation within the medical research field. With affordability being a key component in the health care reform debate, it is necessary to contact Members of relevant committees and encourage them to include follow-on biologics in the comprehensive health care reform package.

Aggressive Timelines for Moving Health Care Reform

Comprehensive health care reform is expected to move through Congress before the August recess. President Obama has indicated that he wants the bill on his desk by October. Aggressive timelines have been set in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and legislation is expected on each Chamber floor for debate and potential votes before the August recess.

Just this week, the "Affordable Health Choices Act" was introduced in the Senate under the leadership of Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA). The House committees with primary jurisdiction over health care reform (Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Labor) also released a draft outline of a health care reform bill likely to move through that chamber over the next couple of months.

Both proposals include provisions important to people with MS, including: prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions; subsidized premiums for low and middle class families; long-term care support, and; caps on total out-of-pocket spending. It is important to point out both proposals also provide the choice of maintaining existing coverage.

While the Senate and House legislation will differ in detail, there will be many common themes, such as: the establishment of a National Health Exchange; a requirement for individuals to obtain health insurance; the availability of subsidies; working to eliminate pre-exiting conditions, and; eliminating lifetime caps in insurance policies.

Stay tuned as we continue to follow the progress of comprehensive health care reform in Congress.

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Society Recognized by Majority Leader

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Speaks at Press Conference on 2009 Report about Accessability in the House of Representatives

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined Members of Congress, Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard, Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers, and members of the disability advocacy community at a press conference on the release of the CAO 2009 Disability Report (pdf). Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

“I want to thank the Members here today, Representatives Langevin, and Wasserman-Schultz, as well as Representatives Sensenbrenner and Upton, for their commitment to making the house a safer and more accessible place for all citizens.

“I would like to recognize our friends in the advocacy community who are with us – Mary Dolan and Nancy Starnes from the National Organization on Disabiltiy, and Shawn O’Neail from the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“I also want to acknowledge the work of Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard and Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers who have made disability access a priority and worked to implement improvements both structurally and in policy.

“And I especially want to thank Congressman Langevin for his comments, his advocacy on disability issues, and his help in passing and improving the Americans with Disabilities Act."

This is an excerpt from a press release on this event. Read more here.

Phil Keoghan Joins Congressional MS Caucus on Capitol Hill

On Monday, May 4, the Congressional Multiple Sclerosis Caucus co-hosted a press conference on Capitol Hill with the Congressional Bike Caucus to recognize Phil Keoghan, host of CBS’s The Amazing Race.

Congressmen Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Co-Chairs of the Congressional MS Caucus, spoke at the event about issues important to people living with MS, like the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) funding, the National Multiple Sclerosis & Parkinson’s Disease Registry Act (H.R. 1362), and comprehensive health care reform. Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Thomas Petri (R-WI), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Bike Caucus, spoke about the many lifestyle and health benefits that bicycling promotes. Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH), who is living with MS, shared remarks about the significance of this event and Phil Keoghan’s mission.

Phil has been cycling across the country to raise awareness for MS and to promote cycling for healthy living. His journey, which will conclude this Saturday, May 9 in New York City, has taken him over 3,500 miles in 40 days. Click here to learn more.

For more event photos, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/36284903@N04/sets/