H.R. 1629 · 117th Congress · House

Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act

In Congress· Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced
Mar 8, 21
Passed House
May 19, 21
Passed Senate
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Executive Summary

Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act

This bill limits which orphan drugs may be granted a market exclusivity period by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (Generally, an orphan drug is one that is not economically viable because of the rarity of the disease that it treats. The sponsor of an FDA-designated orphan drug may be granted various incentives, such as a seven-year period in which the FDA may not grant market approval to a different sponsor for the same drug to treat the same disease.)

Under this bill, if a drug is designated as an orphan drug on the basis that there is no reasonable expectation that the sponsor will recover the costs of developing and distributing the drug from U.S. sales, the drug shall be granted the seven-year exclusivity period only if the sponsor demonstrates that there is no reasonable expectation that it will recover such costs specifically within its first 12 years of U.S. sales of the drug. This requirement shall also apply retroactively to an orphan drug that was granted such an exclusivity period before this bill's enactment.

When deciding whether an orphan drug meets this requirement, the FDA shall consider the sales of all drugs from the sponsor that are covered by the same orphan drug designation.

Previous Versions

00Mar 8, 2021

Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act

This bill limits which orphan drugs may be granted a market exclusivity period by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (Generally, an orphan drug is one that is not economically viable because of the rarity of the disease that it treats. The sponsor of an FDA-designated orphan drug may be granted various incentives, such as a seven-year period in which the FDA may not grant market approval to a different sponsor for the same drug to treat the same disease.)

Under this bill, if a drug is designated as an orphan drug on the basis that there is no reasonable expectation that the sponsor will recover the costs of developing and distributing the drug from U.S. sales, the drug shall be granted the seven-year exclusivity period only if the sponsor demonstrates that there is no reasonable expectation that it will recover such costs specifically within its first 12 years of U.S. sales of the drug. This requirement shall also apply retroactively to an orphan drug that was granted such an exclusivity period before this bill's enactment.

When deciding whether an orphan drug meets this requirement, the FDA shall consider the sales of all drugs from the sponsor that are covered by the same orphan drug designation.

Action Timeline

23
  1. MAY 20, 2021IntroReferral

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

  2. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    Considered under the provisions of rule H

    Res. 403. (consideration: CR H2560-2563)

    2560Yea
    2563Nay
    0NV
  3. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    Rule provides for consideration of H.R

    1629 and H. Res. 275. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1629 under a closed rule and H. Res. 275 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of debate on both the bill and resolution. The rule provides that H. Res. 398 is hereby adopted. The rule provides at any time through the legislative day of Thursday, May 20, 2021, the Speaker may entertain motions offered by the Majority Leader or designee with respect to multiple measures that were object of motions to suspend the rules on the legislative days of May 17 or 18, 2021.

  4. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 1629.

  5. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

  6. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R

    1629, the Chair put the question on passage and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Greene (GA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of passage until a time to be announced.

  7. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    Considered as unfinished business

    (consideration: CR H2572-2573)

    2572Yea
    2573Nay
    0NV
  8. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    Passed/agreed to in House

    Roll Call #150

    On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 402 - 23 (Roll no. 150).(text: CR H2561)

    402Yea
    23Nay
    0NV
  9. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays

    Roll Call #150

    402 - 23 (Roll no. 150). (text: CR H2561)

    402Yea
    23Nay
    0NV
  10. MAY 19, 2021Floor

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  11. MAY 17, 2021Floor

    Rules Committee Resolution H

    Res. 403 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1629 and H. Res. 275. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1629 under a closed rule and H. Res. 275 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of debate on both the bill and resolution. The rule provides that H. Res. 398 is hereby adopted. The rule provides at any time through the legislative day of Thursday, May 20, 2021, the Speaker may entertain motions offered by the Majority Leader or designee with respect to multiple measures that were object of motions to suspend the rules on the legislative days of May 17 or 18, 2021.

  12. MAY 11, 2021Floor

    Mr

    Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

  13. MAY 11, 2021Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration

    CR H2181-2183; text: CR H2181-2182)

    2181Yea
    2183Nay
    0NV
  14. MAY 11, 2021Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1629.

  15. MAY 11, 2021Floor

    At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered

    Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

  16. MAY 11, 2021Floor

    Considered as unfinished business

    (consideration: CR H2184-2185)

    2184Yea
    2185Nay
    0NV
  17. MAY 11, 2021Floor

    Failed of passage/not agreed to in House

    Roll Call #134

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 250 - 168 (Roll no. 134).

    250Yea
    168Nay
    0NV
  18. MAY 11, 2021Floor

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays

    Roll Call #134

    (2/3 required): 250 - 168 (Roll no. 134).

    250Yea
    168Nay
    0NV
  19. MAR 09, 2021Committee

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

  20. MAR 08, 2021IntroReferral

    Introduced in House

  21. MAR 08, 2021IntroReferral

    Introduced in House

  22. MAR 08, 2021IntroReferral

    Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  23. MAR 08, 2021IntroReferral

    Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Committees

4

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

sshr00

Referred: May 20, 2021

Active

Health Subcommittee

hsif14

Referred: Mar 9, 2021

Active

Budget Committee

hsbu00

Referred: Mar 8, 2021

Active

Energy and Commerce Committee

hsif00

Referred: Mar 8, 2021

Active