1. Pink Sheet
  2. >>Pathways & Standards
  3. >>User Fees

Decorating The 'Christmas Tree’: US House Bills That Could Be Tacked Onto FDA User Fee Legislation

 
• By Sue Sutter

Measures aimed at spurring biomedical innovation, ensuring fewer roadblocks to development of biosimilars and generics, and strengthening the FDA’s interactions with rare disease patients could find their way into must-pass legislation reauthorizing the human drug and biologic user fee programs by 30 September.

Christmas tree ornaments
Like ornaments on the yuletide evergreen, lawmakers are eager to attach their bills to legislation reauthorizing the FDA's user fee programs. • Source: Alamy

The US Food and Drug Administration’s human drug, biologic and medical device user fee programs require reauthorization every five years. Legislation to accomplish that task is often referred to as a “Christmas tree” because many other bills, or parts of bills, are tacked onto the must-pass measure, like ornaments placed on an evergreen during the holiday season.

The current prescription drug, generic drug and biosimilar user fee programs expire on 30 September, and lawmakers are actively jockeying...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Pink Sheet for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from User Fees

US FDA Could Miss User Fee Spending Triggers With House FY 2026 Funding

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith and Derrick Gingery

FDA employees are concerned that while the budget authority total proposed for fiscal year 2026 meets the user fee appropriations' triggers, the FDA could have trouble meeting allocation triggers without cuts to non-review work.

US FDA’s Rising First-Cycle Complete Response Rate Draws Congress’ Attention

 
• By Sue Sutter

The House Appropriations Committee wants an analysis of how issues that led to CRLs could have been resolved within the first review cycle and seeks an agency crackdown on counterfeit GLP-1 agonists.

Generic Drug Office’s Policy Staff Returning To US FDA

 
• By Derrick Gingery

The group had been laid off as part of the 1 April reduction-in-force, which led to missed guidance publication deadlines.

House Gives US FDA More Non-User Fee Funds Than Requested

 
• By Sue Sutter and Derrick Gingery

A US House bill would give the FDA $33.1m more in budget authority than requested by the Trump Administration for fiscal year 2026. The measure was sent to the full House Appropriations committee on a party-line vote.

More from Pathways & Standards

US FDA’s CoGenT Pilot At Risk? Project Orbis Success May Not Save Cell/Gene Therapy Initiative

 
• By Bridget Silverman

Despite following the path of the popular Project Orbis, the cell and gene therapy international collaborative review pilot is being reconsidered by the FDA's new management.

Kisunla Back In The Spotlight As EMA Reconsiders Alzheimer’s Drug Rejection

 
• By Eliza Slawther

It appears that the European Medicines Agency is making progress on its re-examination of Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s disease drug Kisunla, following an initial rejection in March based on safety concerns.

Alzheimer’s Drug Leqembi May Be On Course To India, Kisunla In The Wings

 
• By Anju Ghangurde

Key expert panel go-ahead with a trial waiver put’s Eisai's Alzheimer's therapy on track for a debut in India where tailored pricing will be pivotal. Lilly’s Kisunla is also under regulatory review.