Big Pharma deploys a full suite of tactics designed to game the U.S. patent system — enabling brand name drug companies to extend monopolies over their biggest money-makers. The pharmaceutical industry’s egregious abuse of the patent system is a root cause of high prescription drug prices because it enables Big Pharma to repeatedly hike prices on existing drugs, set out-of-control launch prices on new medications, and block competition from more affordable alternatives, like generics and biosimilars.