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Pandemic Treatment Access and Affordability Act of 2021

Introduced: February 23, 2021 Introduced by: Schakowsky, Janice D. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 22, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Feb 2, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jan 28, 2021
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 28, 2021
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Pandemic Treatment Access and Affordability Act of 2021

This bill imposes licensing and price restrictions on federally supported drugs and other medicines intended to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or other public health emergencies.

With respect to a COVID-19 drug patent developed using certain types of federal support, any license granted by the federal government shall be open and nonexclusive. Similarly, a licensee or assignee for such a patent shall grant open nonexclusive licenses for the patent. An entity that receives a license shall pay reasonable royalties to (1) the patent holder, or (2) the owner of marketing exclusivity rights granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that were terminated under this bill.

The bill requires that such drugs be offered at a fair and reasonable price based on certain considerations, such as access.

If the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds that the price of any drug to address a public health emergency is excessive, HHS must void any FDA-granted exclusivity for the drug and grant open and nonexclusive licenses to other manufacturers. Such licenses are subject to reasonable royalty requirements.

What's happening now March 22, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 6
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 597: Pandemic Treatment Access and Affordability Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-597/
MLA
"H.R. 597: Pandemic Treatment Access and Affordability Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-597/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 597, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-597/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 597: Pandemic Treatment Access and Affordability Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-597/)
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