Andrade-Supported Bill to Bring Fairness to Generic Drug Pricing Advances

CHICAGO – In an effort to crack-down on the price-gouging of generic and off-patent drugs, state Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, recently supported a measure to prohibit the practice of excessive price increases by drug manufacturers in Illinois.

“Recently, we’ve seen across the country people standing up to corporate greed, especially on an issue as important and vital as health care,” Andrade said. “That large companies take advantage of the necessity of medicine by charging excessively high prices because they know people will do everything they can to pay is unacceptable.”

The Andrade-backed House Bill 4900 attempts to prevent price gouging of generic or off-patent drugs considered essential by the World Health Organization or the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. These organizations define essential as drugs used to treat a chronic or life-threatening condition. The bill would allow the Attorney General to investigate instances in the event of an excessive price-increase which would be burdensome for consumers. Drug manufacturers would be subject to financial penalties if they are found to have needlessly price gouged.

“In a time where Washington politicians are attempting to take away health care from working families, we must do everything we can to protect our residents’ access to medical services and necessary medications in our state,” Andrade said. “By allowing for oversight on the pricing of important medications, this bill is a step in the right direction to creating a fair system of health care.”

House Bill 4900 passed the House and has been sent to the Senate.

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