Patents over Patients: How Pharmaceutical Companies use the Patent System to Keep Drug Costs High
By Kaitlin Carroll
The United States is in a drug-pricing crisis.[1] One in four Americans report that they simply cannot afford to take their medication as prescribed.[2] Part of what has led to this crisis is the pharmaceutical industry’s manipulation of the patent system to keep generic alternatives from entering the market.[3] Once generic brands enter the market, drug prices can drop by up to 90%.[4] However, drug manufacturers have been manipulating the patent system to extend their monopolies for years, namely through the use of patent thickets and pay-for-delay agreements.[5]