Sixteen public health, patient advocacy, health professional and disease organizations are raising alarm about the proposed legislation, "Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2016."
Here are four things to know:
1. The organizations are concerned, if passed, the legislation will undermine drug safety protection.
2. The proposed legislation is intended to accelerate the development of less expensive generic drugs.
3. Due to the sped-up process, the patient advocates are worried the legislation will eliminate established procedures for generic manufacturers to adopt safety protocols.
4. Supporters and members of the Patients' Alliance for Drug Safety Protections wrote a joint letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, noting the legislation will hurt the FDA's authority to regulate high-risk drugs.
Read about the letter's specifics here.
