[LINK] After the drug patents run out - there's drug monopolies

Tom Koltai tomk at unwired.com.au
Sat Mar 26 21:05:39 AEDT 2011



> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Kim Holburn
> Sent: Friday, 25 March 2011 5:58 PM
> To: Link list
> Subject: [LINK] After the drug patents run out - there's drug 
> monopolies
> 
> 
> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110324/02181913605/fda-sudd
> enly-bans-drugs-that-have-been-market-decades.shtml
> 
> > FDA Suddenly Bans Drugs That Have Been On The Market For Decades
> > 
> > from the perfect-gin-and-tonic-for-fun-and-profit dept
> > 
> > As Techdirt recently discussed, the drug pipeline is
> running dry, as
> > Big Pharma's patents are beginning to expire, and the drug
> companies are freaking out. For years they have been spending
> more money on research and testing and getting fewer results.
> > 
> https://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/03/07/business/07drug-
> gfx.html?ref=business
> > This year alone they are going to have 11 patents expire on
> drugs that bring in approximately $50 billion in revenue to
> the big pharma firms. Of course, the flip side to this is 
> that consumers can start saving about 95% on the price of 
> those drugs, as generics hit the market. The drug companies 
> have gotten to a point where the incremental increases in 
> efficiencies are so small as to be meaningless. What is 
> coming is more personalized and targeted treatments for 
> diseases -- treatments that do not require bulk production of 
> a specific chemical, but individual testing and personalized 
> care, and not lifetime treatments and repeat sales, but  
> cures. The treatments will be expensive to begin with, but 
> they will become less expensive over time. The business model 
> of healthcare is about to change dramatically, and Big Pharma 
> needs to do something to maintain their profits. 
> Unfortunately, they seem to have chosen the path of 
> regulating the competition out of existence, rather than !
>  competing and innovating. 

What I don't understand is why lobby groups in the Usa have not stood up
to the FDA and said, not on!.

Drugs that have been in use for fifty plus years have certainly got a
large enough clinical trial base and unlessthere is annecdotal evidence
that a drug is dangerous after such a lengthy "clinial trial" period, it
should be left alone until it is tested as bad.

My guess is that this might be an indication of the future. Invisible
tarrifs under the guise of regulating for the safety of the population.
What absolute Bull.

If American jobs are at risk, there are other alternatives to invisible
tarrif regimes.

I guess on top of the overhaul of the blue cross billing, that's a valid
reason to vote Republican next time.

They say that you never see the bullet that takes you out. My guess is
the Democrats have missed observing the rather large 600lb silver bullet
labelled "Health Care Reform".




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