An overview of the intellectual property protection environment, with a focus on opponents to patent protection and highlights of some of the key players and their activities.

Pharmaceutical marketing communicates important, and often complicated, information about drug therapies and the safe and effective use of medicines to physicians, pharmacists, and patients alike. Educating and encouraging patients to ask about symptoms can mean earlier diagnosis and better management of conditions.

Presented at PhRMA’s State Government Affairs Annual Meeting, September 2007 in Scottsdale, AZ.

Demographic change has a profound impact on health spending growth. As America’s workforce ages, the prevalence of chronic conditions increases resulting in higher health care utilization and increased health benefit costs.

Many states are experiencing a medical liability crisis that threatens the accessibility and affordability of health care. Any serious effort to bring American healthcare costs in line with other developed countries must address the enormous burden of excessive medical liability costs that are borne by American patients and consumers. 

A number of state and municipal governments have encouraged American consumers to import prescription drugs from Canada as a way to lower drug costs. When operating through normal regulated distribution channels, Canada’s drug distribution system is very safe. But most Canadian mail-order distribution networks operate outside of regulated channels often relying on secondary or unlicensed or foreign suppliers. Safety issues, liability concerns and medical ethics are all impacted by the proliferation of unregulated importation of prescription drugs.