More than 50 Democratic lawmakers have told President Trump that he can take one step himself to lower drug prices: Instruct the National Institutes of Health to override patents for medicines that were discovered with federal funds, but carry price tags that are out of reach for many Americans.
In a letter sent on Tuesday, they argued the NIH should be encouraged to pursue so-called march-in rights. Under a 1980 federal law, this allows an agency that funds private research to require a drug maker to license its patent to another party in order to “alleviate health and safety needs which are not being reasonably satisfied” or when the benefits of a drug are not available on “reasonable terms.”
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Pharma will buy the legislatures in hurry and will make sure such an override is never signed. Pharma want to have profits and tax benefits and who cares about patients. They will die sooner or later.