**Kuster’s legislation would lower the deficit by an estimated $546 million by cutting costs and increasing revenues, according to a report conducted by the Congressional Budget Office**

Washington, D.C. — Today, the House passed legislation authored by Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), the Increasing Transparency In Generic Drug Applications Act of 2022, as part of H.R. 7667, the Food and Drug Amendments of 2022 Act. Kuster’s bill would enable drug companies to bring cost-effective generic medications to the market sooner, providing lower-cost prescriptions for Granite Staters. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the Senate version of this legislation last month.

“High prescription drug costs are putting pressure on far too many Granite Staters — I have heard from countless seniors and families struggling to afford the medications they need,” said Rep. Kuster. “That’s why I’m fighting every day to lower the cost of prescription drugs, and the passage of my legislation in the House is a critical step forward. My bill will help families make ends meet, especially as they face rising prices in the grocery store and at the gas pump. I look forward to the Senate sending this important legislation to the President’s Desk.”

Specifically, the Increasing Transparency In Generic Drug Applications Act of 2022 would:

• Require the Secretary to determine whether proposed new generic drugs are qualitatively or quantitatively the same as the brand drug.
• If it is determined that a proposed drug is not the same as the brand drug, the Secretary must inform the generic drug applicant how the proposed drug differs from the brand drug. 
• Require the Secretary to publish guidance determining whether a new drug is qualitatively or quantitatively the same as a brand drug no later than one year after enactment.

The full text of this legislation is available here.

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