HR 9070 United States House · 118th Congress

Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2024

This bill, the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2024, aims to lower drug costs by limiting how pharmaceutical companies can use patents to block cheaper biosimilar alternatives. It restricts reference product sponsors (brand-name drug makers) to asserting no more than 20 patents in lawsuits against biosimilar applicants (companies seeking to produce cheaper alternatives), with only 10 of those patents allowed to be newer ones (issued after a specific date). The bill also includes a provision increasing Medicare's Improvement Fund by $1.8 billion. These changes directly affect drug manufacturers, biosimilar developers, and patients seeking more affordable biologic medications.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jul 2024

Committee Review

Floor Vote

President

Introduced Jul 18, 2024 Last action Dec 17, 2024

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Full legislative history

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Committee

Dec 17, 2024

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

lower

Jul 18, 2024

Committee

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

lower

Jul 18, 2024

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors