Skip to main content
HR 5155 108th Congress House Health Awards, medals, prizes Citizen lawsuits Commemorations Commerce Department of Health and Human Services Drug approvals Drug industry Drugs Economics and Public Finance Electronic government information Executive reorganization Federal aid to research Finance and Financial Sector Government Operations and Politics Government contractors Government paperwork Government property Government publicity Injunctions

Free Market Drug Act

Introduced: September 28, 2004 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 8, 2004
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Sep 28, 2004
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Sep 28, 2004
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Free Market Drug Act - Establishes the National Institute for Biomedical Research and Development to provide for the development of drugs, biological products, and devices to: (1) increase the number and medical efficacy of drugs, biological products, and devices on the market; and (2) make the drugs, biological products, and devices available to the public at reasonable prices.

Requires the Director of the Institute to: (1) monitor the results of certain research to identify discoveries that, if subjected to appropriate research and development activities, may be suitable for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as drugs, biological products, or devices for use in humans (candidate discoveries); (2) identify candidate discoveries and carry out appropriate research and development regarding such discoveries; (3) establish, review, and revise a plan for the development, testing, and manufacture of candidate discoveries through the Institute; (4) establish priorities among candidate discoveries; and (5)) maintain an Internet site to make available to the public information on activities under this Act.

Allows the Director to identify a discovery as a candidate discovery only if the Federal Government holds, or can reasonably be expected to obtain, a patent on the discovery. Prohibits the Director from transferring ownership of such patent to any non-Federal entity.

Allows civil suits to protect Federal ownership of patents.

Requires the Director to: (1) grant non-exclusive licenses for the commercial marketing of FDA-approved candidate discoveries; (2) establish Federal laboratories to carry out this Act; and (3) establish a fund to provide cash awards for making significant advances in knowledge regarding a disease, disorder, or other health condition.

What's happening now October 8, 2004

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5155: Free Market Drug Act. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-5155/
MLA
"H.R. 5155: Free Market Drug Act." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-5155/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5155, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-5155/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5155: Free Market Drug Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-5155/)
Report a problem