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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 2873 (117th)

Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Through Promoting Competition Act of 2021

reportedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

28 April 2021

Last action

29 September 2021 · Committee

Status

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 16.

Sponsors

Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Buck, Ken [R-CO-4], Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

7 April 2025

Summary

Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Through Promoting Competition Act of 2021 This bill prohibits product hopping by drug manufacturers and authorizes the Federal Trade Commission to sue in court or institute administrative proceedings to enforce this prohibition. Generally, product-hopping describes a situation where, when the patents on a reference drug (or biological product) expire, the manufacturer switches to a follow-on product that is covered by a later-expiring patent. Under this bill, a follow-on product is a changed, modified, or reformulated version of the reference drug that shares an indication (what the drug is used for) with the reference drug. The bill presumes product hopping has occurred when a reference drug manufacturer engages in a hard switch or a soft switch . A hard switch occurs when, after receiving notice of an application for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market a generic (or biosimilar) version of the reference drug, the manufacturer markets a follow-on product and (1) the FDA withdraws approval of the reference drug at the manufacturer's request, or (2) the manufacturer announces the withdrawal or discontinuance of the reference drug or destroys the drug's inventory in a manner that impedes generic competitors. Furthermore, the bill presumes that a soft switch occurred if a reference drug manufacturer (1) markets a follow-on product, and (2) takes actions that disadvantage the reference drug relative to that follow-on product in a way that impedes competition from a generic drug. A drug manufacturer may rebut these presumptions by demonstrating that its conduct was not intended to limit competition.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 28 April 2021

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 28 April 2021

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 28 April 2021

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 29 September 2021

    Vote

    Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 16.

    Source: Committee

  5. 29 September 2021

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 28 April 2021

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 28 April 2021

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 28 April 2021

    Open at official source

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Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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