Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 (Hatch-Waxman Act)

Mandatory Reading:

• Regulatory Affairs (Reg)
• Intellectual Property (IP)
• Quality Assurance (QA)
• Legal Department

Work Suggestions:

• Reg: Ensure the company's drug applications comply with the new drug application procedures and bioequivalence standards.
• IP: Monitor patent term extensions and the impact on the company's patent strategy.
• QA: Verify that manufacturing processes meet the identity, strength, quality, and purity requirements.
• Legal Department: Advise on patent infringement issues and the legal implications of abbreviated new drug applications.

Scope of Application:
The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 applies to chemical drugs, including new molecular entities and generic drugs, in the United States. It is intended for regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical companies, and legal entities involved in drug development and approval processes.

Key Points Summary:

1. Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs): The Act allows for the streamlined approval of generic drugs by submitting abbreviated applications showing bioequivalence to the listed drug, without repeating costly and time-consuming clinical trials.

2. Patent Term Restoration: Offers a mechanism to extend the effective patent life of a drug to partially compensate for the time lost during the regulatory review process, up to a maximum of five years.

3. Data Exclusivity: Provides a period of data exclusivity, during which the FDA cannot approve ANDAs for other companies that rely on the innovator's safety and efficacy data.

4. Patent Certification: Requires ANDA applicants to certify about the listed drug's patents or periods of exclusivity, which can trigger a patent infringement lawsuit.

5. Regulatory Review Period: Defines the regulatory review period for calculating patent term extensions and sets rules for due diligence during the application process.

Conclusion:
The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 is a landmark legislation that balances the need for accessible, affordable medications with the incentive for innovation. It has significantly impacted the pharmaceutical industry by fostering competition and ensuring that both innovator and generic drug companies have clear pathways to market. The above points are not exhaustive; for comprehensive understanding, the full text of the Act should be consulted.

• 必读岗位：注册专员（负责药品注册文件的准备与提交）、研发人员（涉及新药开发与研究）、临床研究协调员（负责临床试验的监管与协调）、QA（确保药品生产过程符合法规要求）、市场准入专员（涉及药品市场策略与准入）。

• 注册专员：确保所有新药申请文件符合Sec. 355的要求，特别注意专利信息的提交与更新。
• 研发人员：在新药开发过程中，及时与注册部门沟通，确保研究数据支持药品安全性与有效性。
• 临床研究协调员：监督临床试验过程，确保数据的完整性和合规性，及时报告关键信息。
• QA：在药品生产和质量控制过程中，遵循Sec. 355的规定，确保产品质量。
• 市场准入专员：了解新药的市场准入要求，包括专利挑战和市场独占期等。

1. 新药申请批准的必要性：强调了新药上市前必须获得FDA的有效批准。
2. 申请文件内容要求：明确了新药申请需包含的详细内容，如安全性、有效性研究报告，成分列表，制造过程描述等。
3. 专利信息与挑战：规定了新药申请中专利信息的提交要求，以及对专利有效性或侵权的认证和通知程序。
4. 批准流程与时间限制：详述了FDA审批新药申请的流程，包括审批时间限制和听证机会。
5. 药品安全性与有效性的持续监管：强调了即使药品批准后，若发现新的安全性问题或缺乏实质性证据，FDA仍有权撤销批准。