America’s biopharmaceutical research ecosystem is the global leader in the development of innovative medicines, allowing patients in the U.S. to access new medicines faster than the rest of the world. This is the result of a carefully balanced policy environment that includes robust intellectual property (IP) protections that foster investment in groundbreaking research and development (R&D), while also promoting access for patients and the sustainability of the U.S. health care system. Here are the real facts about how patents help drive innovation and access, contrary to what some claim.