US health reform bill will hinder introduction of generic forms of biological drugs, critics say

doi:10.1136/bmj.b4088

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Janice Hopkins Tanne

¹New York

Medical students and consumer groups in the United States have objected to parts of the proposed healthcare reform bills, which they say will make it more difficult to introduce cheap generic forms of biological drugs (drugs derived biologically rather than chemically).

The American Medical Students Association and the consumer groups Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, Essential Action, and Knowledge Ecology International say that provisions in several Senate and House of Representatives healthcare reform bills will block the introduction of most generic biologicals. Improving the proposed bills could save $71bn (£45bn; €49bn) …