Medicines for the People Act

Bill Number

H.R. 7854

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-03-05: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.

Last Updated

2026-04-17T08:06:59Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation This bill establishes a new National Institute for Biomedical Research and Development within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its goals are to develop drugs, medical devices, and biological products through full-cycle research and make them available to the public at equitable prices while prioritizing public health needs.

Key Provisions Outlined

• Institute Structure and Operations: The Institute conducts or funds research and development of drugs, devices, and biological products. Activities include direct federal lab work, contracts with public or private entities, acquisitions of technologies, licensing of patents, facility construction, data sharing, coordination with other NIH agencies, clinical trials, and health technology assessments that evaluate clinical effectiveness, safety, costs, ethical issues, and broader impacts.
• Prioritization and Transparency: Resources focus on projects with high public health impact and unmet needs. The Institute must share preclinical and clinical data openly and timely, publish findings, release licensing agreements, and require funded entities to deposit data in accessible repositories with unique identifiers and long-term availability. Manuscripts must be submitted to PubMed Central within one year of publication.
• Intellectual Property Rules: The federal government owns all patents and trade secrets from Institute-funded work, overriding standard rules. Patents are generally licensed to the Medicines Patent Pool, offered free to public and nonprofit entities, and licensed to for-profit entities under non-exclusive, cost-plus pricing terms with reciprocity. No trade secrets or confidential commercial information may be claimed. Technology transfer support is required from funded parties.
• Manufacturing and Access: Public manufacturing at cost is preferred when practicable. If private licensing is used, nonprofits receive preference, royalties are reinvested in research, and diversified regional production may be considered. Access provisions apply to low- and middle-income countries.
• Governing Board: A 15-member Board (plus up to 4 nonvoting members) sets high-level policy and priorities. Membership requires at least two civil society representatives, two independent patient advocates, two public health officials, and two Institute members. Strict limits bar for-profit sector dominance, recent lobbyists for pharmaceutical companies, senior executives of entities with certain legal violations, and post-employment influence activities. The Secretary supervises the Board and can remove the Director.
• Evaluation and Funding: Annual evaluations track applications submitted, data published, new products developed, licenses and patents, and estimated savings to public programs. $90 billion is authorized for fiscal year 2027.
• Additional Measures: Conforming amendments update NIH organizational sections, and penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 216 apply to certain Board-related violations.

Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced The bill adds a new subpart to the Public Health Service Act creating the Institute and overrides provisions of chapter 18 of title 35, United States Code (commonly known as the Bayh-Dole Act) to ensure federal ownership of patents and data from funded research. It imposes new transparency, open-access, and public-interest licensing requirements not present in current NIH operations. Board membership rules introduce conflict-of-interest restrictions beyond standard federal advisory committee standards, and the Institute gains authority to acquire inventions with a right of first refusal from NIH-supported research.

Potential Impacts on Government Agencies, Citizens, or International Relations

• Government Agencies: NIH gains a new institute with dedicated research, manufacturing, and licensing functions, potentially requiring personnel transfers, facility use, and administrative support. Other agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration may see increased submissions for approvals. The Department of Health and Human Services and General Services Administration provide oversight and support.
• Citizens: Expanded public access to medicines at lower prices through cost-based manufacturing or regulated licensing, alongside greater availability of research data for independent use.
• International Relations: Provisions support technology access in low- and middle-income countries via non-exclusive licensing and public-interest terms.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Patients and public health advocates seeking affordable medicines.
• Researchers, academic institutions, and manufacturers involved in biomedical development.
• Pharmaceutical and device companies facing new licensing and data-sharing conditions.
• NIH leadership and federal employees managing the new Institute.
• Nonprofit organizations and public entities eligible for free or low-cost licenses.
• Members of the Governing Board and related oversight bodies.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation alters federal intellectual property policy by mandating government ownership and restricting trade secret claims, which may raise questions about consistency with existing statutes on inventions. Board ethics rules extend beyond standard revolving-door restrictions with specific time periods and penalties. The bill emphasizes public control over biomedical innovation, potentially affecting the balance between private-sector incentives and government-directed development.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

Cosponsors (4)

Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-05: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
• 2026-03-05: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
• 2026-03-05: Introduced in House
• 2026-03-05: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Medicines for the People Act — issued 2026-03-05 — PDF (29 pages)