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S 2996 113th Congress Senate

PATH Act

Official title: A bill to create a limited population pathway for approval of certain antibacterial drugs.

Introduced: December 10, 2014 Introduced by: Bennet, Michael F. Democratic · Colorado See on congress.gov
Health Administrative law and regulatory proceduresDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDrug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulationDrug therapyFood and Drug Administration (FDA)
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 10, 2014
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Dec 10, 2014
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action December 10, 2014

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Promise for Antibiotics and Therapeutics for Health Act or the PATH Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program to approve an antibacterial drug intended to treat a serious medical condition and address an unmet medical need within an identifiable limited population as a limited population antibacterial drug.

Requires the sponsor of a drug eligible for approval as a limited population antibacterial drug to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the drug for its intended use.

Requires an HHS determination of the safety and effectiveness of a limited population antibacterial drug to reflect the drug's benefit-risk profile in the intended limited population. Prohibits a lack of evidence of a favorable benefit-risk profile in a broader population from resulting in a denial of approval.

Directs HHS to require: (1) the labeling of a limited population antibacterial drug to indicate that the drug has been approved for use only in a limited population, and (2) submission of promotional materials related to the drug prior to dissemination.

Directs HHS to describe considerations for demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of limited population antibacterial drugs and how the limited population pathway can be expanded to other therapeutic areas.

Requires HHS to conduct postapproval monitoring programs to study how antibacterial drugs approved through the limited population pathway are used and to monitor changes in bacterial drug resistance.

Allows HHS to remove the labeling, marketing, and postapproval monitoring requirements of a limited population antibacterial drug if the drug is approved for broader use.

Allows the limited population pathway to be expanded to other drugs intended to treat serious illness beginning October 1, 2016.
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2996: PATH Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2996/
MLA
"S. 2996: PATH Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2996/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2996, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2996/.
Markdown link
[S. 2996: PATH Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2996/)
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