American drug prices are known for being high, but during his time in office, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb put the agency on a crusade to lower prices for prescription drugs by inciting competition between pharmaceutical companies. In a statement issued in February 2019, Gottlieb said the agency had been taking steps to "support downward pressure on drug prices by helping to clear a path for more efficient generic development." Generic drugs were the main method employed by Gottlieb to fulfill former US President Donald Trump's campaign promises. Around the same time, a US Senate Committee on Finance hearing in early 2019 blasted several pharmaceutical executives on the high cost of drugs. In late 2020, the Trump administration enacted a set of rules aimed at linking drug reimbursement to less expensive foreign drug prices and allowing medication imports from Canada; the rules also require insurers to pass along discounts from manufacturers to patients at the point of sale. Unsurprisingly, big pharma has brought the fight against those regulations to the courts. Lowering prescription drug prices is a high priority for current US President Joe Biden as well. His administration made reining in prescription drug prices an important part of the Build Back Better plan. Although that bill eventually failed, the successful Inflation Reduction Act picked up the torch for lowering prescription drug prices, specifically for seniors and Medicare recipients. While Republicans have vowed to repeal the act, Biden has countered that he could veto the repeal. The stakes have been raised by emerging markets such as China, which has increased drug patent life from 20 to 25 years, the longest timeframe in a major market. In addition to increasing competition, this move will let companies benefit from five additional years of sales before generic products can be made.