The Push for
Competition
to Lower Drug Prices
The Push for Competition to Lower Drug Prices
We can lower drug prices NOW. There are bipartisan bills in Congress to lower drug prices through increased competition, transparency, and accountability that can bring affordable medicines to market sooner.
The bills would:
- Curb the abuses of patents by drug companies that extend monopolies to block generic and biosimilar competition
- Expedite FDA approval of general and biosimilar drugs by stopping abuse of citizen petitions and enabling FDA to equip generic companies to get to market sooner
Americans support further action to lower drug prices. It’s time for the Senate to take action!
What is Patent Abuse & Why Does It Matter?
Brand-name drug companies are manipulating the patent system to keep drug prices high.
What are some examples of patent abuse?
Product Hopping
Product hopping occurs when a brand-name drug company games the patent and regulatory systems by switching patients to a “newer” version of a drug (without generic competition) right when an older version is about to face competition.
Pay For Delay Tactics
A pay-for-delay deal occurs when brand-name drug companies pay a potential competitor to delay selling a generic version of a drug, therefore keeping it off the market in order for the brand-name drug to maintain its monopoly for longer.
Patent Thickets
Many big drug companies secure as many patents as possible on a single drug in order to artificially prolong monopoly periods and deter competitors. These “patent thickets” can prevent competition for years on end, keeping prices high for patients.
What’s the bottom line for patients?
Many drugs are still priced too high for too many people. By abusing the patent system, big drug companies can avoid generic and biosimilar market competition and keep prices high. It’s time to put patients over profits.
How Patent Abuse Harms Patients
Watch Now
Spread the Word
Click to tweet at your elected representatives asking them to take action on patent reform!
Patent thickets, pay for delay and product hopping are all tactics that Big Pharma uses to game the system and keep our drug prices high. It’s time to crack down on drug company gaming and promote competition.
Tweet this!Join me in calling on the Senate to immediately pass bipartisan bills that crack down on Big Pharma's anti-competitive practices & close regulatory loopholes to promote competition and lower drug prices!
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