Leahy, Marino Call for CREATES Act to Be Added to Omnibus Bill

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) are pushing for a broadly popular generic drugs measure to be added to an upcoming omnibus bill.

The Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act would prevent brand-name drugmakers from withholding product samples from generic manufacturers. The act was initially part of the budget agreement Congress reached in February but was removed from the final bill.

Marino said this week that House leaders told him the act will likely be added to the omnibus bill, which Congress has until March 23 to pass. Leahy blamed lobbyist intervention for the bill’s removal from the budget agreement.