BIO’s Tom DiLenge, President of Advocacy, Law & Public Policy Division issued the following statement today after the Trump administration adopted a “Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2021” that allows health plans to block drug manufacturer discounts from helping to lower patients’ cost-sharing obligations: “This decision by the Trump administration is truly baffling. At a time when insurance companies are enjoying high profits while patients are struggling financially, the administration has adopted a rule that will increase patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs, undermine access to necessary medications, and further pad insurance company profits. This misguided approach will ultimately jeopardize the health and well-being of patients and lead to increased spending on other, more costly medical services. The American people should be focused on staying healthy and financially secure during these difficult times, but this reckless regulatory change risks both.” ###  

To help in the response to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today launched a new online platform, called “Patents 4 Partnerships,” to share patent information for various technologies to facilitate greater collaboration across industries. Tom DiLenge, President of BIO’s Advocacy, Law & Public Policy Division, issued the following statement in response: “The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has taken an important step to support critical research collaboration during this pandemic. Our nation’s intellectual property protections provide a strong foundation for the rapid response against COVID-19, as thousands of scientists in hundreds of biopharmaceutical companies work around the clock to develop treatments and vaccines for this deadly virus. Our researchers are working together like never before, sharing knowledge and resources to accelerate R&D solutions. And all of this collaboration is possible because of the strong intellectual property system we have in place today, not in spite of it.  “To advance the discovery of life-saving medicines, the biopharmaceutical industry is committed to robust collaboration both across the industry and with public and nonprofit partners. This new online platform will help us achieve our shared goal of eradicating COVID-19 as quickly as possible.”   Learn more about some of the latest scientific advancements in the fight against COVID-19 at www.bio.org/coronavirus.  ###