Questionable drug patents that put lives at risk are finally starting to get more scrutiny. The Public Patent Foundation (better known as PUBPAT) is now challenging the validity of eight patents held by Abbott Labs around the HIV/AIDS drug ritonavir (branded Norvir). As PUBPAT notes, there’s plenty of prior art that should have prevented these patents from ever being granted. The patents in question are 5,541,206, 5,635,523, 5,648,497, 5,674,882, 6,037,157, 6,703,403, 7,148,359, and 7,364,752. PUBPAT also notes that Abbott has faced controversy over its monopoly pricing in the past, such as when it raised the price of the drug from $1.71 per day to $8.57 per day. Having a monopoly lets you do that sort of thing…

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