Since folks want to throw Cory under the bus...

[JHan]

69. That Roody anecdote shouldn't floor me but it did..

"It seems there is much BS about this topic being spread, as if was years ago. The problem is US big pharma gouging patients with the approval of American politicians of all stripes. Toss in aggressive astroturfing by big pharma to use patient advocacy to promote their products. PR & consulting companies will regularly have so called patient advocates show up at politicians offices pleading their case to have this medical therapy approved quickly by the FDA and listed on formularies. Of course this operation is tied in with funding the pols ability to stay in office."

In our case, I often wonder if there's some regulatory capture going on. I'd like to see the involvement of more independent experts in green-lighting drugs, preventing pharmaceutical companies hording and preventing access to their patents ( especially in the case of HIV medicine or other life saving drugs like Insulin) and a bunch of other reforms. It seems these companies can enjoy monopolizing the market, price gouge and get away with it every time. I remember reading a good suggestion about divestment during the Shkreli horror show..

"If a sole manufacturer like GSK decides to divest a small product, as part of the contract terms it can put limits to the potential price increases that the buyer can make over a set period of time, say 10 years. This would discourage Shkreli-like behavior.

Big Pharma companies can make a conscious decision NOT to divest small products for which they are the only provider. This would add complexity as Big Pharma has a number of such products in its portfolio, but it would prevent these situations from happening." http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnlamattina/2015/09/21/heres-a-way-for-pharma-to-prevent-outrageous-generic-price-increases-and-help-its-reputation/#7bdea9173187