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Limiting Patent Lawsuits to Speed Up Access to Affordable Biologic Drugs.

This law aims to accelerate the availability of cheaper biological drugs (biosimilars) by limiting the number of patents pharmaceutical companies can use in infringement lawsuits. It also allocates $1.8 billion to the Medicare Improvement Fund, potentially leading to better health services for seniors. These changes are designed to reduce prescription costs for patients.
Key points
Limits the total number of patents that original drug manufacturers can assert in court against cheaper biosimilar competitors to a maximum of 20.
The goal is to prevent delays in the market entry of affordable versions of expensive biological medicines, lowering healthcare costs.
Injects $1.8 billion into the Medicare Improvement Fund to enhance the healthcare program for older Americans.
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Status:
Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_S_150
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Process start date: 2023-01-30
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure, with full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source, always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-09-2025
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2023

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_S_150.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-01-30.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Limits the total number of patents that original drug manufacturers can assert in court against cheaper biosimilar competitors to a maximum of 20.
  • The goal is to prevent delays in the market entry of affordable versions of expensive biological medicines, lowering healthcare costs.
  • Injects $1.8 billion into the Medicare Improvement Fund to enhance the healthcare program for older Americans.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S4537-4538)

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-26.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know, that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Health Courts and Law