Intellectual property (IP) protections, including patents, are the foundation for biopharmaceutical innovation and the development of new treatments, cures and vaccines for patients. A strong IP system is what has allowed the American biopharmaceutical industry to become the world leader in new medicine development and has allowed us to make unprecedented strides in treating everything from acute leukemia to hepatitis C and more.
We created a short video to explain how our IP system:
- Lays the foundation for new treatments, cures and vaccines for patients
- Promotes competition
- Drives down health care costs by paving the way for generics
To learn more about the role IP plays in the biopharmaceutical industry, follow our IP Explained blog series.
Tom Wilbur
Tom Wilbur is Deputy Vice President of Public Affairs at PhRMA where he leads the state public affairs team and Voters for Cures, PhRMA’s grassroots advocacy initiative. Prior to joining PhRMA in 2019, Tom served as a senior aide on Capitol Hill for U.S. Rep. Fred Upton and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Tom holds an M.A. in strategic communications from Michigan State University and a B.A. in social science and history from Central Michigan University. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering, reading and golfing.
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New video: See how strong IP protections lead to stronger treatments for patients
Intellectual Property
IP Explained
New video: See how strong IP protections lead to stronger treatments for patients
New video: See how strong IP protections lead to stronger treatments for patients