Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has teamed up with U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), to challenge President Biden's proposal to allow agencies to seize drug patents under the Bayh-Dole Act. The senators, along with 15 other Republican colleagues, raised serious concerns to NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli regarding this matter.

In opposition to the Biden administration's proposal, the senators referenced the original intent of the Bayh-Dole Act, emphasizing that the law does not empower the government to dictate prices on resulting products. They highlighted the potential negative consequences of using march-in rights to influence drug costs, citing past administrations' affirmation that such actions exceed agencies' authority.

The senators, including Dr. Paul and Dr. Cassidy, expressed worries about the detrimental impact that seizing patents based on drug prices could have on the development of new cures and treatments. They emphasized that such actions could hinder health care innovation and impede access to lifesaving medications for millions of Americans.

In a joint statement, the senators stressed the importance of maintaining public-private partnerships in biomedical research and urged agencies not to abuse their authorities by illegally seizing intellectual property. They asserted that while the goal of lowering drug prices is bipartisan, using march-in rights in this context would do more harm than good.

Dr. Paul and Senator Cassidy were supported by a group of fellow Republican senators, including Joni Ernst, Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio, and others, who echoed their concerns about the potential negative consequences of the Biden administration's proposal.

The full letter addressed to NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli can be found on Senator Rand Paul's official website.