New HSCA CEO applauds House Judiciary Committee for advancing the CREATES Act

The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA), an organization that represents the major healthcare group purchasing organizations (GPOs), the sourcing and purchasing partners to virtually all of America’s 7,000-plus  hospitals, as well as the vast majority of the 68,000-plus long-term care facilities, surgery centers, clinics, and other healthcare providers has announced it's support of the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES Act) in a recent letter to the House Judiciary Committee.  

The CREATES Act (H.R. 965) is bipartisan legislation that increases competition and patient access to safe and affordable generic and biosimilar medicines.     

“The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) and its member group purchasing organizations (GPOs) applaud Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Collins, and the members of the House Judiciary Committee for helping to increase competition in the generic drug marketplace by voting to advance the CREATES Act," said the new President and CEO Khatereh Calleja iof HSCA n the letter. "Americans rely on generic drugs to reduce costs and increase access to necessary medication, and price spikes for commonly used drugs jeopardize patient access to care. HSCA supports policy solutions like the CREATES Act that lower drug prices, encourage competition and innovation in the marketplace, and end anti-competitive abuses utilized by some brand-name manufacturers. We urge the House to quickly pass the CREATES Act to protect patient access to essential medications. 

In an earlier letter, written by then CEO and President, Todd Ebert wrote:"HSCA and its members consistently advocate for policy solutions that lower costs and increase competition and innovation in the healthcare marketplace." she continued. "Two years ago, HSCA advocated for priority U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) review of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) for drugs with three or fewer approved alternatives, which was subsequently included as provision in the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017. The provision allows more generic drugs to enter the marketplace at a faster pace, providing patients with more affordable alternatives to brand name medications. The expediated ANDAs review was an important step; however additional actions by Congress are still  necessary to increase competition in the generic drug market."

Ebert also made several suggestions (click here for the full details).

.