2 May 2016 - In 2007 the US Congress created the priority review voucher program to encourage the development of drugs for neglected diseases.

Under the program, the developer of a drug that treats a neglected disease receives both a faster review of the drug by the Food and Drug Administration and a voucher for a faster review of a different drug. The developer can sell the voucher.

Congress should be cautious about expanding the voucher program, because increasing the number of vouchers sharply decreases the expected price. Lower voucher prices could undermine the incentive to develop new medicines for neglected diseases.

For more details, go to: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/35/5/776.abstract?etoc