What We're Reading: CREATES Act Vote; Illegal Opioid Sales; Ebola Funding

Senate Panel Schedules a Vote on CREATES Act Bill

On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee announced that it’s moving forward on the drug pricing bill known as the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act, The Hill reported. The bill would crack down on drug companies attempting to delay the cheaper generic drugs from entering the market. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has scheduled the vote for Thursday. Voting on the bill has been at a standstill for months amid opposition from pharmaceutical companies, despite bipartisan support of the bill.

FDA Targets Websites Marketing Opioids Illegally

Early Tuesday morning, the FDA outlined a framework for cracking down on illegal opioid sales on the internet. According to STAT news, just hours later, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, came out with a list of 9 operators of 53 websites that the FDA had sent formal warnings to for engaging in illegal marketing and sales of opioids. The agency warned that companies failing to address violations outlined in the warning letters could have their products seized or face other legal actions.

White House Drops Plan to Cut Ebola Spending

Amid the Ebola outbreak in Congo, the White House has dropped a proposal to cut $252 million in leftover funding to fight the virus in Africa, AP news reported. The proposed cut to Ebola funding was unveiled last month in the wake of the $1.3 trillion spending bill. As of late May, the outbreak was believed to have killed at least 27 people.