Anti-competitive tactics by bad actors restrict access to generic and biosimilar drugs and drive up drug costs for consumers
WASHINGTON, DC] – Today U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Actto help lower drug prices by preventing bad actors in the pharmaceutical industry from deliberately abusing the patent system. The bipartisan legislation would curb drug companies’ anti-competitive use of patents to prevent generic and biosimilar competition from coming to market. The Blumenthal-Cornyn legislation specifically addresses an anti-competitive tactic known as “product hopping” and an abuse of the “patent dance” process for resolving patent infringement claims for biosimilars. Companion legislation addressing abuse of the “patent dance” process is being introduced in the House of Representatives today by U.S. Representatives Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Darrell Issa (R-CA). Companion legislation prohibiting “product hopping” is…