House members debate H.R. 3 (and more)

May 5, 2021
From drug price controls in the House, to the TRIPS waiver at the WTO in Geneva, it’s a busy day for drug-related debates. It’s also Cinco de Mayo, so we look at how gene editing is saving the classic Tex-Mex taco. (954 words, 4 minutes, 46 seconds)
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From drug price controls in the House, to the TRIPS waiver at the WTO in Geneva, it’s a busy day for drug-related debates. It’s also Cinco de Mayo, so we look at how gene editing is saving the classic Tex-Mex taco. (954 words, 4 minutes, 46 seconds)

 

House members debate H.R. 3 and how to drive future cures

 
 

The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing yesterday, “Negotiating A Better Deal: Legislation to Lower the Cost of Prescription Drugs.” We witnessed a robust debate over 4+ hours split along party lines about the best way to lower costs for patients—but unfortunately, Democratic leadership is still pushing legislation that would put R&D and future cures at risk.

Congress is considering several drug pricing proposals—including Speaker Pelosi’s H.R. 3, which would require drug manufacturers to negotiate prices with the government based on an index of prices paid in several other countries, and H.R. 19, the Republicans’ alternative.

All 41 committee members who participated called upon Congress to pass legislation that would lower the cost of prescription medicines for patients—but diverged along party lines in how best to achieve that goal.

In good news, both Republicans and Democrats were aligned in their support of an out-of-pocket cap for Medicare Part D, which is essential to help patients (and a top BIO priority). 

In his opening remarks, Subcommittee Ranking Member Brett Guthrie (R-KY) called for value-based arrangements and Medicare Part D modernization. He urged colleagues to pass legislation that would allow seniors to pay over the year to meet the Medicare cap.

Unfortunately, however, Democratic leadership continues to push H.R. 3—which we know would lead to fewer new drugs for patients and directly inhibit the ability of small biotechs in particular to attract investment needed to bring new cures to market

Chair Anna Eshoo (D-CA) began the hearing by advocating for the repeal of the non-interference clause and endorsing H.R. 3. She called on the committee to “live up to [their] promises and lower the cost of prescription drugs” by passing H.R. 3 and advocated for Republican support by noting that President Trump rhetorically supported “negotiation.” (Of note, she highlighted Section 302 of H.R. 3, which she introduced, to allow Medicare beneficiaries to spread out cost-sharing under certain circumstances, another BIO priority.) 

However, several members pushed back on H.R. 3, citing the harm it would do to R&D of future cures, the economy, and small biotech companies. 

Read: Study Analyzes Potential Impact of Various Drug Pricing Proposals 

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) asked about the impact of H.R. 3 on potential cures for Alzheimer’s. “Eliminating the potential for incentivizing innovation could be devastating” for diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS, said Dr. Gaurav Gupta, Founder of Ascendant BioCapital. 

Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) said studies show H.R. 3 could result in a loss of 20K jobs and $4 billion in economic output in Utah, especially harming small biotechs. “It’s smaller biotech companies that are primarily charged with bringing innovative products forward,” Dr. Gupta responded, agreeing they will be disproportionately impacted by price controls. 

Read: Tiny biotechs fear “nuclear winter” from H.R. 3

There was also discussion of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. Rep. Carter urged Congress to look into vertical integration within health plans that also own PBMs and retail pharmacies. Other members expressed concern about the supply chain and role of “middlemen,” too. 

Read: Let’s help patients, not PBMs 

What’s next: Today, the House Education & Labor Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee will hold a similar hearing, “Lower Drug Costs Now: Expanding Access to Affordable Health Care.” Expect a similar debate along party lines about how to best lower drug prices.

 

More Health Care News:

The Daily Caller: Republicans send letter to Biden administration, saying no American IP should be given away for free
“‘The requested waiver is extraordinarily broad and unnecessary to accomplish the goal of giving as many people as possible access to vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, including in developing countries,’ the group wrote in the letter.”

 
 
 
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How gene editing is saving tacos

 
 

Before you head out to enjoy socially distanced margaritas for Cinco de Mayo, check out this new Innovature piece about how gene editing is ensuring we have an abundant supply of the ingredients for the classic Tex-Mex taco.


 
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
 

The Taco Base: Researchers are using gene editing to make corn that can withstand hot, dry weather, rice with a higher yield, and animal agriculture for your beef or chicken filling more efficient and environmentally friendly. 

The Toppings: Researchers from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York are breeding tomato plants that grow as a bush, rather than vines, making them easier to grow in small spaces, while scientists at UC Davis were able to create heat-tolerant lettuce that’s heartier and more capable of germinating at high temperatures

Don’t forget the guac! Scientists are exploring using gene editing to create non-browning avocados, which could help reduce food waste, a major contributor to climate change. 

Read the whole thing.

 

More Agriculture and Environment News: 

Nature: First genetically modified mosquitoes released in the United States
“The experiment, launched this week in the Florida Keys…tests a method for suppressing populations of wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which can carry diseases such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.”

The New York Times: Global vaccine crisis sends ominous signal for fighting climate change
“Poor countries consistently assert that they need more financial and technological help from wealthier ones if the world as a whole is going to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. So far, the richest countries—which are also the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases—haven’t come up with the money.”

NPR: A giant organic farm faces criticism that it's harming the environment 
"Among the critics is Dwayne Beck, a soil scientist who manages South Dakota State University's Dakota Lakes Research Station, 40 miles east of Gunsmoke Farms. Beck was skeptical about the project from the beginning. 'It scared me, because normally organic [farming] entails lots of tillage, and those soils are very fragile,' he said. Farmers often till the soil — breaking it up with tools such as chisel plows or disks — to uproot weeds and get land ready for planting. But tillage also tears soil loose from the plant roots that help hold it together and also breaks down parts of the soil that are most rich in carbon and nutrients."

 
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President Biden’s Wednesday: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will join a press briefing at 12:30 PM ET. President Biden will give remarks on the American Rescue Plan at 2 PM ET. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic in Geneva, the World Trade Organization will meet to discuss the proposed TRIPS waiver on vaccine patents. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Another hearing on drug pricing, before the House Education & Labor Committee's Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee (12 PM ET).

 
 
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