Strong Intellectual Property Protections Improve Patient Access to Lifesaving Medicines

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance for Aging Research is sounding the alarm about misguided policy proposals aimed at weakening intellectual property protections. Individual panel presentations from a convening of national experts held earlier this year are now available for viewing:

• A Fair Trade: How Intellectual Property Policies Unlock Better Access to Care (full program)
• Panel 1: "From the University Lab to the Medicine Cabinet: Technology Transfer and the Battle Over Government 'March In'"
• Panel 2: "Patent Myths – Why Should Patient Groups Care? Clarifying Post-Development Criticisms of Intellectual Property"
• Panel 3: "America's Biopharma Edge: Leading Globally. How Global Practices Shape U.S. Innovation and Competitiveness in Life Sciences"

Key points form the convening are also highlighted in an episode of the Alliance's podcast, This Is Growing Old, titled, "Demystifying Intellectual Property". The episode features David Kappos, co-founder of the Council for Innovation Promotion. Kappos, who is also the former Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, explains how several pieces of well-intended legislation could actually jeopardize future breakthroughs.

Regarding patent protection and access to care, Kappos said, "If you think about it, the medicine that doesn't exist might as well be infinite in price. Because you can't get it no matter how much money you have. So, all those diseases that [we are] concerned about that aren't cured yet, the price for a cure for those is currently infinite because a cure doesn't exist."

The podcast episode — available on the Alliance website and wherever you stream your podcasts — was released on the heels of an op-ed placement in RealClear Health. In May, the Alliance published a new white paper, "A Fair Trade: How Intellectual Property Policies Unlock Better Access to Care," highlighting the critical role that strong IP protections play in driving medical innovation and improving patient access to lifesaving treatments.

The United States' IP laws incentivize investment in medical research by protecting innovation and fostering collaboration between universities, startups, and private industry. One key example is the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which allows universities and research institutions to patent federally funded inventions. That policy alone has led to more than 200 FDA-approved treatments and therapies — and remains a powerful proof point for how smart IP policies can deliver real-world health breakthroughs.

But the paper also raises awareness: misguided policy proposals aimed at weakening IP protections could jeopardize future breakthroughs. The Alliance urges policymakers, patient advocates, and industry stakeholders to protect the integrity of IP laws in order to sustain the innovation pipeline and ensure continued progress in patient care.

"Intellectual property protections drive medical innovation," said Sue Peschin, MHS, President and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research. "By safeguarding IP, we must remember that we are not just protecting patents — we are protecting lives. The erosion of these protections threatens the future of medical advancements and the health of generations to come."

Read the full white paper here and watch highlights from the March 31 convening on IP.

For more resources or to schedule an interview with a representative from the Alliance for Aging Research, please contact Katie Riley, Alliance Vice President of Communications at [email protected].

About the Alliance for Aging Research
Since 1986, the Alliance for Aging Research has served as a trusted source of health information for both consumers and health care professionals on diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect older adults and has led numerous successful advocacy campaigns promoting the health and independence of older adults. The Alliance is dedicated to changing the narrative to achieve healthy aging and equitable access to care. We strive for a culture that embraces healthy aging as a greater good and values science and investments to advance dignity, independence, and equity. Learn more about the Alliance at www.agingresearch.org.

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SOURCE Alliance for Aging Research