How drug patents pave the way to profit

This is Part 3 of “Behind the Counter,” an in-depth video series demystifying the complex world of patents and drug pricing.

Discovering a new drug is a big win for a pharmaceutical company, but selling it for lots of money with no competition? The cherry on top. This kind of market exclusivity is only possible because of patents.

In this video, we explain how the United States Patent and Trademark Office grants patents to drugmakers. Patent protection incentivizes pharmaceutical companies to invest in costly research and development by giving them an exclusive period of time to profit off their drug after it’s approved.

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