Legislators passed a new bill, which would waive fees for the development of drugs that treat orphan diseases. The bill, Preserving Access to Orphan Drugs Act of 2011 was passed by the Senate. Upon passage of the bill by the House, drug developers will be excluded from the annual fee placed on branded drugs under the Affordable Care Act.
Orphan diseases afflict close to 30 million people in the United States alone. There are 7,000 rare or orphan diseases that affect people which include asbestos-related ailments. Mesothelioma, an extremely aggressive type of lung cancer, is considered an orphan disease and is caused by exposure to asbestos.
When inhaled, asbestos fibers lodge in the lining of the chest cavity and tumors will begin to grow. Patients who develop mesothelioma will endure a great deal of pain and suffering, and often retain mesothelioma attorneys to seek compensation for their medical care.
The bipartisan bill was introduced to allow researchers and drug makers an incentive to develop drugs to treat orphan diseases, which is a designation given to disease that affect 200,000 or less Americans at a given time.
Mesothelioma, which is fatal, affects mostly men who worked in construction, oil refinery and the naval industries. Mesothelioma lawyers have given these victims of asbestos exposure access to funds that are necessary for their treatments and comfort.
Though asbestos use has been curtailed with the help of environmental activists and mesothelioma attorneys, thousands more will come in contact with the mineral, and possibly contract lung cancer and other pulmonary diseases.
