The Old Drugs, New Cures Act would create a new designation for existing medications being researched for new uses. Under this bill, drug manufacturers could request that the federal government classify their drug as a "priority research drug" if the medication has been on the market for at least 10 years and is being studied for a new indication with no current alternative treatments available, particularly for diseases affecting a significant portion of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Once designated, these priority research drugs would receive special treatment under Medicare and Medicaid rebate calculations, exempting them from being classified as "line extensions" of existing drugs, which would otherwise trigger higher manufacturer rebates. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would have 60 days to approve or deny designation requests after the process is established within 90 days of the bill's enactment. This change is intended to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to invest in finding new uses for older drugs rather than developing entirely new medications.
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