The Biden administration on Thursday asserted its authority to seize the patents of certain costly medications in a new push to slash high drug prices and promote more pharmaceutical competition.

The administration unveiled a framework outlining the factors federal agencies should consider in deciding whether to use a controversial policy, known as march-in rights, to break the patents of drugs that were developed with federal funds but are not widely accessible to the public. For the first time, officials can now factor in a medication’s price — a change that could have big implications for drugmakers depending on how the government uses the powers.

“When drug companies won’t sell taxpayer-funded drugs at reasonable prices, we will be prepared to allow other companies to provide those drugs for less,” White House National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard said during a call with reporters Wednesday.

  • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    why shouldn’t we get what we pay for? not for a “reasonable price” out of some sense of “public private partnership”. if the people bear the cost of development the people should own the product outright.

    • PsychedSy@sh.itjust.works
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      11 months ago

      Fuck that. We should be passing laws to reduce all patent periods over time, eventually falling either insanely low or to zero.