Pass Cornyn-Blumenthal to Crack Down on Patent Thickets That Block Competition and Keep Prices High

Big Pharma games the system to keep drug prices high. Through anti-competitive tactics like patent thicketing and product hopping, Big Pharma extends monopolies and blocks competition from more affordable alternatives — saddling patients with out-of-control prices while banking blockbuster profits.

It’s Time For Congress To Get Wise to Big Pharma’s Patent Games

Big Pharma’s egregious pricing practices and anti-competitive tactics are the root cause of out-of-control prescription drug prices – and it’s time for Congress to put an end to their games.

Big Pharma Will Stop At Nothing To Keep Drug Prices High and Profits Rolling

Brand name drug companies are solely responsible for setting the prices of the prescription drugs in their portfolios. To maximize profits, at the expense of patients, taxpayers and the U.S. health care system, Big Pharma repeatedly hikes prices on existing products and sets increasingly outrageous launch prices on new medications.

Big Pharma’s price hikes have outpaced inflation on nearly 1,000 popular medications every year except one between 2006 and 2020 [citation from AARP 2024 research] – and thus far, in 2024, drugmakers have already hiked prices on nearly 1,000 brand name drugs. [citation from MM+M, 7/15/24 and The Wall Street Journal, 1/18/24]

In one particularly egregious example, a Big Pharma giant hiked the price of its popular Flovent inhaler by 47 percent [citation from CBS News], then designed a scheme to sidestep accountability for their egregious price hikes by switching the brand name to an authorized generic to maintain monopoly pricing power. The move meant that millions of Americans who relied on the inhaler – especially children – faced uncertainty in being able to access and afford the life-saving medication.