Congress prevents PRV lapse, postpones reauthorization

True to form, America’s lawmakers are procrastinating, putting off decisions about FY25 budgets until well after the Oct. 1 start of the fiscal year and creating suspense over the fate of legislation that would have important public health and economic impacts.

As the 118th Congress winds down, rare pediatric disease priority review vouchers and the Biosecure Act remain in play, while time seems to have run out on efforts to revamp FDA’s regulation of diagnostics and attenuate the Inflation Reduction Act’s disincentives for innovative drug development. Reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) is in a holding pattern but could land before year-end. ...