---
title: A Short History of Drug Patent Expirations 
description: This eBook offers a short history of drug patent expirations over the past five years and some analysis on ways that pharma companies are prolonging the life of drug patents.
---

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# A Short History of Drug Patent Expirations 

![What is dead may never die](https://info.medcitynews.com/hs-fs/hubfs/What%20is%20dead%20may%20never%20die.png?width=262&name=What%20is%20dead%20may%20never%20die.png)

The lifespan of a drug patent can be a complicated thing. In many cases when a drug patent expires, it paves the way for cheaper  generic drugs or biosimilars to come to market. But few things are simple in healthcare. If a pharma company wants to extend the lifespan of a patent they have a lot of tools to do so, from the practice of evergreening to pre-GATT applications (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade).

This eBook offers a short history of drug patent expirations over the past five years and some analysis on ways that pharma companies are prolonging the life of drug patents.

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