What We’re Reading: EU Proposes Drug Overhaul; Potential New Rules From CMS; Paying New Antibiotic Developers

EU Proposes Drug Law Overhaul, Inciting Industry Conflict

On Wednesday, Brussels published a long-anticipated draft of its proposed revamp of laws governing the European Union’s pharmaceuticals industry, inciting warnings from drugmakers that they’ll invest and innovate somewhere else, reports Reuters. The proposal looks to cut the length of basic market exclusivity that drugmakers get before generics can join the market from 10 to 8 years, and companies would get 2 more years of protection if they launch their new drugs in all 27 member states within 2 years, in the biggest overhaul of existing medical laws in 20 years.

CMS’ Introduces Medicaid, CHIP Proposals

CMS proposed 2 new rules Thursday afternoon that broadly focus on expanding access to care, quality of care, and opportunities to offer feedback for people enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) fee-for-service and managed care plans, according to Fierce Healthcare. Some changes are designed to align delivery of services covered under the programs with their commercial counterparts, said officials, like a national maximum appointment wait time standard and stronger state monitoring and reporting requirements.

Congress Might Compensate Manufacturers of New Antibiotics

A bipartisan group of US senators and representatives has presented legislation intended to encourage drugmakers to create antibiotics and antifungal drugs to address a rising public-health threat, reported The Wall Street Journal. The proposed bills would commit $6 billion to the purchase of new drugs to treat drug-resistant bacteria and fungi that federal officials designate as vitally important targets and set up a committee of federal officials to collaborate with patients and doctors to decide which new treatments approved by the FDA the federal government should purchase, with manufacturers potentially able to receive $750 million to $3 billion for new drugs over several years. The drugs would be free to Medicare and Medicaid patients and veterans receiving health benefits from the VA system.