The Eshoo amendment on Biologics has split Democrats and Republicans. James Glassman (a Republican and head of the George W. Bush institute) and Henry Waxman oppose the amendment, while Howard Dean and the Heritage Foundation support it. There are competing corporate interests on both sides as well -- the pharmaceutical companies on one, and the generic drug manufacturers on the other (read article here for more on that). A list of supporters and opponents is below:
In summary, the following advocates support "shorter" data exclusivity periods:
• Federal Trade Commission -- 0 years
• Alfred Engelberg, Dr. Aaron Kesselheim, and Dr. Jerry Avorn (NEJM authors) -- 5 years
• Dr. Laurence J. Kotlikoff -- 5 years
• James Love and James Glassman (Roll Call authors) -- 5 years
• National Coalition on Health Care -- 5 years
• AARP -- 5.5 years
• Alex Brill -- 7 years
• Office of Management and Budget -- 7 years
• Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc. -- undefined
And the following advocates support "longer" data exclusivity periods:
• AIDS Institute, Community Access National Network, CAEAR Foundation, and National Minority AIDS Council -- 12 years
• ALS Association -- 12 years
• California Healthcare Institute -- 12 years
• Governors Deval Patrick, M. Jodi Rell, Bill Ritter, Jr., John Markell, Martin O'Malley, Beverly Perdue, Theodore Kulongoski, Donald Carcieri, Luis Fortuño, and Christine Gregoire -- 12 years
• National Venture Capital Association -- 12 years
• Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America -- 12 years
• Rhode Island BioGroup and New England Biotech Association -- 12 years
• Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Michael Enzi (R-WY), and Kay Hagan (D-NC) -- 12 years
• Stuart Watt (Amgen Inc.) -- 12 years
• Dr. John Calfee (American Enterprise Institute) -- 12 to 14 years (period mentioned but not specifically endorsed)
• Dr. Henry Grabowski -- 12.9 and 16.2 years
• Biotechnology Industry Organization -- 14 years
• Andrew Grossman (Heritage Foundation) -- 14 years (period mentioned but not specifically endorsed)
• Intellectual Property Owners Association -- 14 years
• Audrey Philips (Johnson & Johnson) -- 14 years
• Alliance for Aging Research -- 14.5 years
• Dr. Howard Dean (Democratic National Committee) -- 14.5 years
• Robert Armitage (Eli Lilly) - 15-20 years
Calibrating the right economic incentives to produce life-saving drugs is hard. Too little, and the drugs aren't developed. Too much, and the drugs are unaffordable to many. Accusing one side or the other of the debate of favoring "death sentences" for patients is demogogery.