For the more than 400,000 Americans living with multiple sclerosis (MS), I urge you to support the inclusion of a well-defined competitive pathway for follow-on biologic drugs in health care reform legislation. An example of legislation that provides a suitable pathway for generic versions of biologic drugs is the Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act (H.R. 1427/S. 726).
Individuals living with MS pay between $16,500 to more than $30,000 a year for their medically necessary drugs. Generic (or follow-on) versions of biological therapies are not yet available in the United States for any condition because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to review applications for generic versions of biologic drugs like other counties do.
MS is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving new hope to people affected by the disease.
The cost of these drugs can keep them out of reach for those who need them. Congress must pass legislation to create a regulatory pathway to approve safe, effective and lower-cost generic versions of biological drugs. With Congress preparing to debate health care reform legislation this summer and affordability being one of the key components of legislation, now is the time to influence the reform debate.
Take action today and let your voice be heard to Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH), and Representative Zack Space (D-OH 18th District). More affordable follow-on versions could provide safe alternative treatment options and help alleviate the cost burden on families living with MS and other diseases.
Edward L. Hale
MS Advocate
Carrollton, OH 44615