Testimony: IP Proposal Would Weaken Innovation Ecosystem Older Adults Urgently Need
Published June 3, 2026
Today, the Alliance for Aging Research submitted written testimony to the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet ahead of the June 4 hearing, “Medicines and IP: Balancing Innovation and Access,” regarding the Eliminating Thickets to Increase Competition (ETHIC) Act and the Skinny Labels, Big Savings Act.
The Alliance opposes these proposals because they misinterpret how the patent system functions and, if enacted, would weaken the innovation ecosystem that supports the development of future treatments older Americans urgently need.
“Weakening IP and patent protections is going to disincentivize research and development a lot more than it will ever lower drug prices,” said Sue Peschin, MHS, President & CEO of the Alliance. “The Congressional Budget Office analyses of the proposed bills prove this—CBO estimates these proposals would reduce average drug prices by less than 1% on average.”