[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 111 (Tuesday, September 19, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IMPROVE ACCESS TO GENERIC PHARMACEUTICALS

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                           HON. PETER DEUTSCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 19, 2000

  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I'm here today to deliver good news for 
American consumers, seniors and taxpayers, all of whom are seeking more 
affordable medicine. That's right, good news!
  Over the next decade, patents on nearly $50 billion worth of brand 
name drugs are scheduled to expire. If you assume that generic versions 
of those drugs will be introduced at a price 50 percent lower than the 
brand price--and that's conservative--Americans will enjoy $25 billion 
in savings. That figure is in addition to an estimated $10 billion 
Americans are already saving each year through the use of generic 
drugs.
  With so much profit at stake, we can expect brand drug companies to 
do everything in their power to delay the expiration of those patents. 
But as representatives of the people, we must put patient health ahead 
of profits and vote no on these unfair and unwarranted patent extension 
requests.

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