This is why Americans pay higher drug prices

There's one big reason Americans pay higher drug prices than the rest of the world: monopoly power. Big Pharma has a stranglehold on life-saving medicines -- even ones they didn't create. Every patent gives Big Pharma a monopoly on that drug's production. They can charge what they want for it, or not manufacture it at all. This puts Wall Street investors in charge of lifesaving medications. As a result, some people get sick. And some people die. And pharma companies don't just patent their own inventions. Our government funds a large chunk of research for many medications, then gives the patent to for-profit corporations so they can increase their own obscene profits. It gets worse. Drug companies don't always do the research on the drugs we need, or gear up to manufacture them, unless they know there's big money in it for them. They would rather tweak money-making drugs so they can game the system and extend their patent on it. That's why we were caught unprepared for a pandemic: without guaranteed profits, they won't act to protect the public. Tell Congress: Reform our patent system so that it protects people, not profits. SIGN NOW Here's the kicker: Once our government gives a pharma company a patent, that company can charge whatever it wants for that drug. Even if it only costs pennies to produce, the drug company can charge thousands of dollars for it. That can lead to needless suffering, and even death, for people who can't afford their medications. Tell Congress: Don't let drug companies abuse patents to gouge the public. We can fix this problem by breaking Big Pharma's stranglehold on drug patents and demanding that our pharmaceutical system serves people, not profits. Thanks, Alex Lawson Drug Prices Are Too High DONATE NOW Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Drug Prices are Too High, please click here.