The White House is threatening the patents of high-priced drugs developed with taxpayer dollars
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Biden administration is putting pharmaceutical companies on notice, warning them that if the price of certain drugs is too high, the government might cancel their patent protection and allow rivals to make their own versions.
Under a plan announced Thursday, the government would consider overriding the patent for high-priced drugs that have been developed with the help of taxpayer money and letting competitors make them in hopes of driving down the cost.
In a 15-second video released to YouTube on Wednesday night, President Joe Biden promised the move would lower prices.
"Today, we're taking a very important step toward ending price gouging so you don't have to pay more for the medicine you need," he said.
The administration did not immediately release details about how the process will work and how it will deem a drug costly enough to act. White House officials would not name drugs that might potentially be targeted.
There will be a 60-day public comment period. If the plan is enacted, drugmakers are almost certain to challenge it in court.