Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) recently co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that would increase consumer access to generic drugs, increase market competition and drive down prices.

Stivers and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) co-authored The Fair Access for Safe and Timely (FAST) Generics Act to counteract companies that abuse the FDA’s current drug safety programs.

“We cannot afford to promote practices that hinder consumers’ abilities to obtain generic alternatives to expensive brand medicines,” Stivers said. “Our bill closes federal loopholes to ensure consumers have increased access to less costly generic drugs by increasing market competition and eliminating bureaucratic red tape. This problem must be addressed to save the government and consumers billions of dollars while increasing pharmaceutical options for patients.”

Some drug companies withhold access to drug samples from generic manufacturers, an anti-competitive practice that leads to higher prescription drug costs.

“Too many Americans, particularly seniors, cannot afford their prescription drugs,” Welch said. “This legislation will ensure that manufacturers of generic medicines can bring more affordable medicines to the market as quickly as possible.”

Companies that use FDA safety programs to withhold drug samples from generic manufacturers cost American consumers $5.4 billion each year, including lost savings of $1.8 billion for the federal government, according to a Matrix Global Advisors study.