GPhA Calls Senate HELP Committee Action Disappointing for Countless Patients

Vows to Work with the White House and the House of Representatives to Reduce
Unprecedented and Unnecessary Years of Market Exclusivity

ARLINGTON, Va., July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Generic Pharmaceutical
Association (GPhA) released the following statement today from GPhA President
and CEO Kathleen Jaeger on the Senate HELP Committee's vote on biogenerics
legislation.

"While we are extremely disappointed that the Committee action could result in
patients having little or no access to affordable biogenerics, we will
continue to fight in the House to ensure that a true balance is achieved
between innovation and competition. It is surprising that in the wake of the
recent Federal Trade Commission report explicitly stating that 12 years of
exclusivity would discourage innovation, the HELP Committee voted in favor of
profits over patients. This unprecedented action strikes a huge blow to
consumers at a time when many Americans are struggling to pay for the
medicines they need.

"With generics saving the health care system $734 billion in the last decade,
the House must now act to ensure that additional savings can be achieved by
rejecting unnecessary and excessive years of market exclusivity for
biopharmaceuticals. Over the last two years, we have dispelled the myths on
the safety and efficacy of biogenerics that brand PhRMA and BIO tried to make
to keep biogenerics from getting to consumers. It is now time to dispel the
myth that double-digit years of exclusivity are needed to spark innovation.
The White House already has the FDA working on creating a pathway and it has
firmly stated that seven years of exclusivity is a good compromise. We must
follow the course of the White House and Chairman Waxman and ensure that
patients can truly access lifesaving biogeneric medicines in a timely manner.

"We hope that when the House Energy and Commerce Committee acts it follows the
lead of its Chairman in approving a market exclusivity period that puts
patients first. History has shown that a balance between innovation and
competition can be achieved that benefits consumers and industry alike.
Chairman Waxman knows this and we encourage him to continue to make patients
the priority."

GPhA represents the manufacturers and distributors of finished generic
pharmaceuticals, manufacturers and distributors of bulk active pharmaceutical
chemicals, and suppliers of other goods and services to the generic drug
industry. Generics represent 69% of the total prescriptions dispensed in the
United States, but only 16% of all dollars spent on prescription drugs. For
more information about the industry, visit www.gphaonline.org.

SOURCE Generic Pharmaceutical Association

Charlie Mayr of Generic Pharmaceutical Association, +1-201-291-9800