Drugmaker Tactic to Block Generics May Violate Law, FTC Says
- FTC files amicus brief in Mylan appeal over antibiotic Doryx
- Some drugmakers tweak products to extend patent protection
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Pharmaceutical companies that make minor tweaks to brand-name drugs in order to blunt competition from cheaper generic treatments may be violating antitrust laws, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said.
The practice, known as “product-hopping,” harms consumers who save billions of dollars each year through generic competition and undermines laws that allow pharmacists to automatically substitute brand-name drugs with low-cost copycats, the commission said.