WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will finally get a study of his proposal to do away with drug patents and other intellectual property protections in favor of rewarding inventions with prize money. Sanders has been pushing the prize approach since he was a House representative, many years ago.
The measure directing the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to study the idea was added to the Pandemic All-Hazards and Preparedness Act a day before Sander’s health committee passed the bill. Three Republicans voted against the overall bill, which renews several federal biodefense and pandemic-preparedness programs.
Though Democrats last year passed historic legislation to let Medicare negotiate drug prices and cap seniors’ annual out-of-pocket drug costs, Sanders is demanding more drug price controls. He is delaying President Biden’s pick for running the National Institutes of Health until the president releases a plan to control drug prices.