Warren, Jayapal Urge Patent Office to Act to Cut Drug Costs (1)

The US patent agency should raise fees on drug companies to deter industry tactics aimed at keeping cheaper versions of drugs off the market, a pair of progressive lawmakers urged.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent a letter Thursday to Kathi Vidal, director of the US Patent and Trademark Office, again calling on the agency to fight high drug prices by cracking down on what they see as anticompetitive practices by pharmaceutical companies. Warren and Jayapal wrote to the patent office asking it to take similar action in December 2022 and June 2021.

“Patients continue to ...