Judiciary Committee Advances Prescription Drug Pricing Bills

WASHINGTON –Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made this statement after the Committee voted to send four bills to the Senate floor to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Graham led a hearing on prescription drug pricing in May. 

“Great day for the Senate Judiciary Committee. Today we reported out four bills, and each in their own way will lower the cost of prescription drugs.  

"I really appreciate my Democratic and Republican colleagues trying to find solutions to the high cost of prescription drugs. I believe today was a step forward in that endeavor. 

“I look forward to taking this legislation up on the floor as soon as possible.” 

Background:

S. 1227, Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2019 would require the Federal Trade Commission to study the role of intermediaries in the pharmaceutical supply chain and provide Congress with policy recommendations.
S. 440, PACED Act  would block patent owners from asserting sovereign immunity claims in the process of requesting drug patents.
S. 1224, Stop STALLING Act  would aid the Federal Trade Commission in blocking individuals or entities from bad faith interference in the approval of competing generic drugs or biosimilars. 
S. 1416, Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2019 would prohibit anticompetitive behaviors by drug product manufacturers.