Sen. Biden bill proposes to require government purchase of cocaine, heroin addiction treatments.
Executive Summary
SEN. BIDEN's ANTI-ADDICTION RESEARCH BILL would require the federal government to purchase patent rights to the first successful pharmaceutical treatments for cocaine and heroin addiction. Legislation (S 2051) introduced Sept. 3 by Sen. Biden (D-Del.), the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would set into law the price tag for these patents: $100 mil. for a drug to treat cocaine addiction and $50 mil. for a heroin treatment.