594 - Could Patent Reform Lower Drug Prices?

Public Health On Call

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

News, Health & Fitness, Medicine

4.6 • 644 Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2023

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Humira is an immunosuppressive drug used to treat arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis, is one of the most profitable drugs of all time. In this episode, Tahir Amin, founder and executive director of the Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge., joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about how gaming the patent system may have helped stave off competition, costing consumers billions of dollars. They also discuss what it would take to reform the system.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Public Health On Call, a podcast from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,
0:05.9	where we bring evidence, experience, and perspective to make sense of today's leading health challenges.
0:16.3	If you have questions or ideas for us, please send an email to public health question at jh.
0:21.6	.edu.
0:23.6	That's public health question at jh.u.
0:26.6	For future podcast episodes.
0:29.6	This is Josh Sharfstein.
0:33.6	Today, patents, patents, patents.
0:36.6	Specifically, the more than 300 patent applications
0:41.3	filed by its manufacturer on the blockbuster drug, Humira. Patent applications that helped
0:47.0	to block competition for seven years. I speak to Thahir Amin, founder and executive director of
0:53.8	the initiative for medicines,'s Access and Knowledge.
0:57.0	His organization works to identify problems with our patent system that keep drug prices high.
1:03.0	He also has some ideas for solutions. Let's listen.
1:07.0	Thar Amin, thank you so much for joining me on Public Health on call.
1:12.6	I'm very interested in the work that you do, trying to get lower drug prices by addressing
1:17.6	challenges with the patent system.
1:19.6	How are you doing today?
1:20.6	I'm good.
1:21.6	Thank you, Josh.
1:22.6	It's nice to meet you.
1:23.6	Now, sometimes some people can think patent issues around pharmaceuticals are not the most
	...

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