Letters to the Editor

Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act: A Crucial Step Toward Curbing Patent Abuse

By Rep. Mike Yakawich

The pharmaceutical industry is renowned for its breakthrough therapies that have saved countless lives. Yet, the reality is taxpayers subsidize most research and development investments in new medicines—and Big Pharma companies are increasingly focusing their strategic know-how on gaming the patent system to maintain monopolies and keep prices high, all at the expense of patients.

Rapidly rising prescription drug prices are a principal driver of the rising health care costs that have bee...