WASHINGTON, D.C. (Rocktown Now) — Virginia 6th District Representative Ben Cline and California Representative Zoe Lofgren have introduced the Skinny Labels, Big Savings Act, a bipartisan effort aimed at lowering prescription drug costs by shielding generic drugmakers from what supporters describe as abusive patent-related lawsuits.

Cline said rising drug prices continue to strain family budgets nationwide and that the proposal would help preserve access to lower-cost medications.

“The Skinny Labels, Big Savings Act is a commonsense solution that protects competition in the marketplace and ensures patients can get the medications they need at a price they can afford,” Cline said.

The bill focuses on strengthening federal protections for “skinny labels,” an FDA pathway that allows generic or biosimilar versions of a drug to be approved for uses no longer covered by patents. Lawmakers say the process speeds the arrival of affordable alternatives while respecting legitimate intellectual property.

Cline argued that some brand-name drug companies have increasingly used lawsuits to challenge skinny-label generics and delay their market entry. “Our bill stops that abuse and restores fairness to the system,” he said.

Under the legislation, generic manufacturers that follow federal rules for skinny labeling would be shielded from liability for method-of-use patent infringement. The bill also clarifies that drugmakers can accurately describe their generics as FDA-approved therapeutic equivalents when consistent with agency regulations. Supporters say the changes would protect patient savings without weakening valid patent protections.

The proposal has already drawn support from patient and consumer advocacy groups, including Patients for Affordable Drugs NOW and the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing.

“We have a prescription drug affordability crisis,” Lofgren said. “This bill levels the playing field and allows generic manufacturers to bring lifesaving medications to market faster, driving down costs for patients.”

John Murphy III, president and CEO of the Association of Accessible Medicines, said skinny labeling has saved the health care system billions over the past four decades. He praised the measure as a needed “safe harbor” to preserve patient access to lower-cost generics.