H.R. 7693 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Feb 25, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExtends market protection for rare disease drugs
During the COVID-19 emergency, some drug companies had trouble completing their applications for medicines to treat rare diseases. This bill gives those companies an extra 180 days of exclusive market time—meaning other companies can't sell generic or similar versions of their drugs during that period—to help make up for the delays they faced.
How it affects you
If you take medicine for a rare disease, this could mean the original drug manufacturer has longer before cheaper generic versions become available. People with rare conditions may see delayed competition in the market, which could affect prices and availability of treatment options.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 25, 2026)
Leo's Law
This bill extends by 180 days the relevant periods of market exclusivity for drugs for rare diseases or conditions (i.e., orphan drugs) for which applications were submitted during the COVID-19 emergency period.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionH. R. 7693
A BILL
Leo’s Law
Sponsor: Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) · Introduced Feb 25, 2026 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Feb 25, 2026: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.”