Prescription for Change: Reforming Patents to Lower Drug Costs

Featuring

[Moderator] Canyon Brimhall, Senior Manager, Federal Government Affairs, R Street Institute

Wayne Brough, Resident Senior Fellow, Technology and Innovation, R Street Institute

Tahir Amin, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Initiative for Medicines, Access, and Knowledge

Sean Tu, Professor of Law, West Virginia University

Overview

R Street invites you to a timely policy discussion addressing patent reform and the affordability and accessibility of prescription drugs. Our distinguished panel will examine how current patent laws contribute to high drug prices and explore innovative policy solutions to lower costs without stifling innovation. We’ll discuss strategies to close loopholes that extend monopolies, promote generic competition, and ensure a fair balance between rewarding innovation and protecting public health. Join us as our panel of experts discusses a path forward for patent policy and accessible medicines.

Key topics of discussion:

• Current patent policy in practice: What tactics are used to extend patent protection, and what are their impacts on drug affordability and access?
• Patent policy in the courts: Has the U.S. Supreme Court been effective at shaping patent law to improve the patent system and minimize gamesmanship?
• Patent reform in Congress: Where is patent policy headed in Congress, and what can be done to improve the current patent system and lower drug prices?