For Immediate Release: June 25, 2021
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the Expanding Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs and Medical Devices Act, a bill designed to support nonprofit pharmaceutical organizations in their efforts to sustainably increase access to affordable medicines for Americans. As the longest-standing nonprofit pharmaceutical organization serving the U.S. market, Medicines360 applauds this legislation as a significant first step toward supporting nonprofit pharmaceutical organizations in reducing the cost of medicines for patients.
“As a nonprofit, Medicines360 has long worked to remove cost as a barrier to health by developing and providing quality, affordable women’s health products,” said Autumn Ehnow, Executive Vice President, Policy and Strategic Market Access and founding leader of Medicines360. “But, like other nonprofit pharmaceutical organizations, we’ve faced challenges to achieving our mission in the current policy landscape, which largely benefits for-profit companies. Medicines360 thanks Senator Rosen for her leadership on this issue and proudly endorses the Expanding Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs and Medical Devices Act. This pioneering legislation is the first step in clearing the path for nonprofit pharmaceutical organizations to advance their missions of addressing systemic issues in drug supply, access, and affordability. We call on others in Congress to support this effort to improve drug access and affordability, which will dramatically advance our goal of achieving better public health outcomes in the U.S.”
The legislation unveiled today would improve the ability of nonprofit pharmaceutical organizations to sustainably provide affordable medicines to U.S. patients in a number of ways. It would clarify their ability to qualify for federal tax-exempt status, provide financial support to nonprofits working to develop and manufacture needed drugs, and waive burdensome Food & Drug Administration (FDA) user fees and provide new opportunities for priority FDA review for certain drugs made by nonprofits.
About Medicines360
Medicines360, located in San Francisco, California, is a nonprofit global women’s health pharmaceutical organization with a mission to remove cost as a barrier to health by developing and providing affordable women’s health products. Medicines360 is committed to working with healthcare providers, advocacy groups and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help women around the world have greater access to the medicines they need. Medicines360, through its subsidiary Impact RH360, launched the Avibela Project to expand access to hormonal IUDs in low- and middle-income countries. For more information, visit www.medicines360.org
