[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21879]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]





                      WITHDRAWAL OF COSPONSORSHIP

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to withdraw my name as 
a co-sponsor of Senate bill S. 1172, the Drug Patent Term Restoration 
Review Procedures Act of 1999. After much research and thought I have 
decided to do this for the senior citizens of Montana.
  When I signed on this bill I believed that it was the right thing to 
do. Helping companies that have invested millions of dollars in 
research and development, only to see their property protections eroded 
by administrative delays, concerned me and I felt it was a good bill to 
help sponsor.
  After many meetings, lots of research and careful thought I have now 
come to a different conclusion. I now believe that there is already an 
established patent extension process to compensate brand companies for 
regulatory delays. I feel that by allowing brand companies to seek 
additional



patent life for so-called ``pipeline drugs,'' this bill will deprive 
consumers, and especially the elderly with their limited incomes, the 
opportunity to purchase the more affordable generic drug equivalent. 
Generic drugs are often priced 25-60% below the brand name product.
  Mr. President, I feel that this is a good bill, but if I continue to 
support S. 3372 I would be blocking patient access to generic medicines 
for three more years, forcing millions of Americans to pay inflated 
prices for these drugs. I cannot do this to the senior citizens in my 
great state. They are having a tough time getting by as is. Higher drug 
prices just add to their problems.

                          ____________________