Obama budget plan calls for generic drugmaker fees

WASHINGTON Feb 1 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama proposed on Monday fees on generic drugmakers to help reduce review times for the cheaper copycat drugs and clear a backlog of applications.

Documents outlining Obama's fiscal 2011 budget plan also proposed funding increases at the Food and Drug Administration "to bring more safe, effective and lower cost generic drugs and generic biologics to market" and to "expand postmarket safety surveillance of medical products." (Reporting by Lisa Richwine, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)