INNOVATION IS BOUGHT AND BURIED BY BIG PHARMA ANTICOMPETITIVE MERGERS
U.S. antitrust policy should be strengthened to address anticompetitive mergers in the pharmaceutical sector, particularly “killer acquisitions” that eliminate emerging competition. This includes lowering reporting thresholds in highly concentrated health care markets, requiring the inclusion of intangible assets such as patents in merger evaluations, and applying heightened scrutiny to transactions involving overlapping products. Regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, should also require enforceable commitments to continued product development and post-merger transparency. These reforms would help preserve competition, promote innovation, and protect patients from high prices and reduced access to essential therapies.