Americans Agree: It’s time to fix the patent system, lower drug prices

December 5, 2025

A new national survey shows something rare these days: broad agreement across political lines. Four in five Americans say they want Congress to reform the nation’s drug patent system because it keeps prescription prices unnecessarily high.

The poll, conducted by the nonpartisan group Patients for Affordable Drugs Now and reported by StatNews, reveals deep frustration about how long pharmaceutical companies can extend monopolies on brand-name medications. Many Americans said they believe those tactics block competition, drive up costs and make it harder for people to get the medications they need.

Support for change spans every demographic—Democrats, Republicans, independents, older adults, people living with chronic conditions and caregivers. And when researchers asked which reforms Americans want most, several ideas rose to the top:

  • Cracking down on “evergreening”—when drugmakers file dozens of patents on minor changes to keep cheaper generics off the market.
  • Stopping “pay-for-delay” deals that allow brand-name companies to pay generic manufacturers to stay out of the market.
  • Reining in patent abuses that let companies preserve high prices long after the original patent should have expired.

Nearly 70% of Americans say high drug prices have already forced them—or someone in their household—to make difficult financial trade-offs, according to the survey. Nearly half say they’ve skipped or rationed medication because costs were too high.

The message from consumers is clear: They want competition, transparency, and policies that stop drugmakers from using the patent system to extend monopolies and keep prices high.

At a moment when families are struggling with health care costs, these findings underscore a growing demand for action. People want Congress to step in and ensure patents encourage innovation—not block lower-cost alternatives.

Have rising medication costs affected you or your family? Share your story with Voices for Affordable Health.

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