NAM: “March-In” Authority Is Government Price Control

The Biden administration on Thursday released a framework that “would allow authorities to take over the patent of some drugs that were developed with the help of taxpayer dollars and then license the invention to another entity,” Bloomberg reports.

The new framework would let “U.S. agencies … use so-called march-in rights” to seize certain patents and license them elsewhere at lower cost.

The NAM pushes back: Though the administration billed the move as a way to ensure that medications are “reasonably available and affordable,” it is effectively a government price control in the pharmaceutical sector, said NAM Director of Domestic Policy Julia Bogue.

The NAM added in a social post on Thursday: “Pharmaceutical manufacturers have developed lifesaving treatments that benefit all Americans. The use of march-in rights will lead to a loss of innovation and reduced use of government research.”

The NAM’s record: The NAM has long opposed price controls for drugs, as they stifle research and development and ultimately lead to fewer options for patients.