Drug companies are spending millions lobbying Congress on bills that would bolster their profits at the expense of patients. Here's what they're pushing for — and why we're fighting back.
In 2022, Medicare won the right to negotiate lower drug prices for the first time. The EPIC Act would gut that progress.
Right now, small-molecule drugs — which make up 90% of drugs on the market — can be excluded from Medicare negotiation for nine years after approval. The pharma-backed EPIC Act would extend that to 13 years, locking in higher prices for longer and shielding drug companies from accountability at patients' expense.
If EPIC had been law when negotiation began, 13 of the first 25 drugs selected for lower prices would have been ineligible. That's not protecting innovation. That's protecting profits.
When Trelegy Ellipta was included in Medicare negotiations, it allowed me to take a deep breath. If EPIC had been in place at the time, Trelegy Ellipta would have been blocked from negotiations — it would be devastating to me and the thousands of other patients who rely on this drug.John Aadland, Oregon
This bill would expand what pharmaceutical companies can patent — including products that aren't new or genuinely innovative. More patents, especially frivolous ones, mean less competition. Less competition means higher prices. Longer.
PERA hands drug companies a new tool to block generics and biosimilars from reaching patients — and there's no patient benefit in return.
I take Aubagio for my Multiple Sclerosis, which for years didn’t have a generic alternative. Every month, I was paying $500.Maureen Patch, South Dakota
Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership Act
When the patent office issues a bad patent — one that shouldn't have been granted — the public has a right to challenge it. PREVAIL would make that harder and more expensive, effectively protecting drug company monopolies from scrutiny and keeping lower-cost alternatives off the market longer.
This bill isn't about protecting real innovation. It's about making it easier for drug companies to maintain monopolies they shouldn't have.
I take Enbrel for my psoriatic arthritis — a miracle drug that has treated painful symptoms I experienced for years. However, Enbrel was also covered by a thicket of over 100 patents, and the drug’s monthly continues to be over $850 for my monthly supply.Judy Aiken, Maine
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