Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Considers Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA)

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property held a hearing on the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA), which would bring much-needed clarity to the patent system that is essential for the United States maintaining its global leadership in the life sciences.

October is Intellectual Property Month, and We Work For Health is continuing to call on policymakers to prioritize meaningful reforms and modernize the intellectual property system. These protections sustain American workers, innovators, and researchers across industries including health care and biopharma.

PERA represents a critical advancement in strengthening and modernizing the U.S. intellectual property system. The bipartisan legislation would restore patent eligibility to important inventions that are critical to the future of gene therapy, precision medicine and other breakthroughs in the life sciences.

As global competition for innovation intensifies, America must not fall behind. Clear, consistent, and forward-looking patent protections are more than legal tools – they are strategic assets that drive economic grown, fuel job creation, and secure the nation’s position as a global leader in science and technology.

Included below are some key highlights from last week’s hearing:

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) on how PERA will help the U.S. maintain its competitive edge globally:

And what the U.S. stands to lose if we concede this edge to China:

Sue Peschin, President of the Alliance for Aging Research, on how patent protections deliver innovations for patients who have little to no cures:

As the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property continues its important work, now is the time for policymakers to act decisively.

Learn more about why this matters from We Work For Health, and explore key resources like Patents and Intellectual Property: The Bedrock of American Innovation.