The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 is legislation that:
A. provides incentives for manufacturers to speed up the research and development of drugs to treat patients with rare diseases.
B. provides incentives for manufacturers to donate drugs to children suffering from rare diseases.
C. provides easier access to drugs for children in orphanages and foster care situations who have life-threatening diseases.
D. requires insurance companies to cover controversial drugs used to treat rare diseases.
Answer (2)
The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 encourages the development of treatments for rare diseases by providing incentives such as tax credits, grants, and exclusive marketing rights. This legislation is crucial because it addresses the needs of patients with conditions that affect a limited number of people. Thus, the correct answer is A.
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The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 is a significant piece of legislation in the United States. It was designed to encourage the development of drugs for rare diseases, often referred to as 'orphan diseases.' These conditions affect such a small percentage of the population that there is often little financial incentive for companies to develop treatments.
Purpose : The main purpose of the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 is to offer incentives to developers and manufacturers to develop treatments for diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
Incentives Provided : The Act provides several types of incentives to manufacturers. These include tax credits for the costs of clinical research, assistance in the drug development process, and a seven-year period of exclusive marketing rights upon approval, irrespective of patent status.
Impact : Since its enactment, the Orphan Drug Act has led to the development and approval of numerous drugs that would likely not have been developed otherwise, significantly benefiting individuals with rare diseases.
Correct Option : From the given options, the correct choice is: "provides incentives for manufacturers to speed up the research and development of drugs to treat patients with rare diseases." This accurately reflects the primary objective of the Orphan Drug Act.
