FDA approved record number of generic drugs last year

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 1,027 generic drugs last year, a record number, the Trump administration said Friday.

The figure came as part of a year-end report from the Department of Health and Human Services, and was touted as part of the administration’s efforts to fight high drug prices.

Approving more generic drugs brings more competition into the market and can help lower prices.

Many advocates, though, are disappointed that the Trump administration has not done more to fight drug prices, given President Trump’s tough rhetoric on the issue.

{mosads}The work of the FDA, though, has received bipartisan praise.

“Drug access is a matter of public health concern,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in October. “We know that enabling more generic competition, where Congress intended, helps reduce prices, enable more access, and improve public health.”

On the legislative front, Congress is also considering a measure aimed at increasing competition from generic drugs and lowering prices. That bill, known as the CREATES Act, is intended to stop branded drug companies from using delaying tactics to slow down the introduction of generic competitors.

It could be included as an offset to pay for a long-term government funding deal in the coming weeks.