In The Battle To Control Drug Costs, Old Patent Laws Get New Life
From the article:
Simply taking a patent doesn’t bring down prices, either. There are other ways manufacturers gain favorable market positioning for specific drugs, said Rachel Sachs, an associate law professor at Washington University in St. Louis who tracks drug-pricing laws.
And creating an opening for generics is only one step. Another drugmaker would still need to create a competing product, gain approval and make it available. Then, theoretically, market competition can kick in.
Finally, there’s no guarantee such savings would benefit consumers, argued Nicholson Price, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Insurance plans or PBMs could simply bargain greater discounts on drugs and pocket the money. (AHIP says any savings should be passed on.)
That’s the fundamental question, Krellenstein said.
“Is this going to be more armor in the fighting [between payers and drug companies]?” he said. “Or is it actually going to be a dramatic reform that actually results in real changes, that actually makes it easier for Americans to access the medications they need?”
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health care finance health law policy pharmaceuticals rachel sachs w. nicholson price ii