A U.S. Senate committee on July 29 approved a provision meant to inhibit branded drug companies from delaying the introduction of generic versions of their drugs.
The bill would require patent settlements between branded and generic drug companies to pass muster before a judge who would determine whether they are anticompetitive.
By a 15-15 vote, the Senate Committee on Appropriations failed to strip the measure from a larger appropriations bill, according to a report by The Hill website. The House of Representatives has already passed a similar bill, the report stated.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the measure would save the government about $2.5 billion over 10 years, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has estimated it would save consumers at least $3.5 billion a year, the website reported.
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