To Solve Drug Pricing We Must Solve the Drug Patent Problem

Priti Krishtel is a 15-year veteran of the global access to medicines movement. In 2006, she co-founded I-MAK, a nonprofit that works to combat the rising cost of prescription drugs by re-imagining the patent system so that people can get the lifesaving medicine they need.

As co-executive director of I-MAK, she works alongside patients, consumers, governments, and patent offices in the United States and globally to ensure that public participation, rather than just industry, drives the patent process -- and ultimately better access to medicines. At I-MAK, Priti co-leads a team that uses legal strategies to lower drug prices, and conducts data-driven research and investigations to expose the problems, identify solutions, and educate consumers. To date, I-MAK has helped enable over $50 billion in cost savings for health systems and put millions of people on lifesaving treatment.

A graduate of NYU Law, Priti has worked with organizations and government agencies from several countries including India, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Ukraine, and Thailand to ensure that policymakers and other key stakeholders understand the impact of the patent system on drug prices through data-driven analysis.

Priti is a frequent speaker at national and international events, and her leadership has been recognized by Echoing Green, PopTech!, Asia Society, The King Baudouin Foundation, and others. She has been featured in Entrepreneur, CNN, The New York Times, Bloomberg, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, and Reuters.

Co-sponsored by the Department of Learning Health Sciences and the Health Management & Policy Program at the U-M School of Public Health.

• STPP
• patents
• Priti Krishtel
• I-MAK
• Access to medicines
• Science Technology and Public Policy