The U.S. Federal Trade Commission expanded its campaign against pharmaceutical companies for filing what it calls “junk” patent listings pertaining to 20 different brand-name treatments for asthma, COPD, diabetes, and weight loss, including the blockbuster Ozempic diabetes medicine sold by Novo Nordisk.
The move is part of an effort by the Biden administration to curb alleged patent abuses by the pharmaceutical industry. Drug companies have increasingly been accused of filing improper or inaccurate patents to make it harder for generic companies to sell lower-cost alternatives to Americans. The tactics have also been blamed by congressional lawmakers for keeping prices high.
“By filing bogus patent listings, pharma companies block competition and inflate the cost of prescription drugs, forcing Americans to pay sky-high prices for medicines they rely on,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement. “By challenging junk patent filings, the FTC is fighting these illegal tactics and making sure that Americans can get timely access to innovative and affordable versions of the medicines they need.”
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