Copyright 2000 Boston Herald Inc.
The Boston Herald
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August 25, 2000 Friday ALL EDITIONS
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 018
LENGTH: 370 words
HEADLINE:
Delahunt under pressure for support of drug patent bill
BYLINE: By J.M. LAWRENCE
BODY:
MassPIRG yesterday called on Rep. William Delahunt to withdraw his support
from a controversial bill that would benefit the makers of the
multibillion-dollar allergy drug Claritin.
"Consumers
are clearly hurt with these extremely high costs of drugs,"
said Dierdre Cummings, the public interest research group's consumer programs
director.
Delahunt (D-Quincy) is co-sponsor of a bill that would give
Claritin-maker Schering-Plough a three-year extension on its
patent for the pills that now cost consumers $ 80 for a
monthlong supply.
The representative is the only member of the
Massachusetts delegation who has signed onto the bill.
The Campaign for
Fair Pharmaceutical Competition, a coalition of groups that includes the
manufacturers of generic drugs, contends the bill will cost
consumers $ 3 billion in potential savings if generic versions hit the market.
The so-called "Claritin Bill" also includes extending
patents on six other drugs, including a
drug for men with prostrate cancer and an arthritis
drug.
Delahunt "does a lot of good things for the
elderly and the needy and that's why we don't understand why he's on this bill,"
said Tracie Onbashian, spokeswoman for the campaign.
A spokesman for
Delahunt said yesterday that the bill's foes are miscasting him as a close
friend to pharmaceutical companies.
"They have our position about 180
degrees off," said spokesman Steve Schwadron.
Delahunt supports a
version of the bill that would reform the process by which companies seek
patent extensions, he said.
The bill proposes
establishing an independent agency that would judge the merits of each company's
case, eliminating special laws for patent extensions, according
to Schwadron.
"It's a big non-issue if anyone would sit down and have a
conversation with us," he said.
But Cummings argues that the bill
benefits a powerful special interest now making $ 7 million a day off of
Claritin.
"U.S. consumers pay more for prescription
drugs than any other consumers in the world," she said. "One of
the reasons is because we allow drug manufacturers to have an
exclusive patent where there's no competitor who can come in.
And when their patent is up for elimination, we extend it."
LOAD-DATE: August 25, 2000 
