The real problem lies with drug patent laws. A new drug today costs $ 1.2 billion before it gets out to market. I'm not sure in this financial climate anybody wants to take that gamble. Although I do not believe drug companies should be able to reap huge rewards e.g Lipitor $ 12 billion annually) the fact that generic companies are able to produce these drugs at the end of the patent without having any need for future R&D, CME, or free sampling is outrageous. An incentive must be created for companies to continue research and provide total patent protection with some financial safeguards inserted so that the consumer does get a break at the cash register. One has to only look at the complete collapse of R&D with Pfizer who was the #1 taxpayer in Ann Arbor before it shut down its facility and its 2200 high skilled workforce.

Posted by sdl at Wed Oct 08 23:11:12 -0400 2008

Rédigé par sdl le 10.02.2008 à 12h52