General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: this is the pill that cures Hepatitis C. This is that pill on big Pharma [View all]Stonepounder
(4,033 posts)The fact that Medicare is forbidden in the law that created Medicare Part D to negotiate lower prices is no accident. The drug lobby worked hard to ensure Medicare wouldnt be allowed to cut into the profits which would flow to big Pharma thanks to millions of new customers delivered to them by Part D.
Also note that while the drug companies say they must impose higher prices in the U.S. to pay for research that enables them to innovate and develop new drugs that save our lives. But thats not true. Half of the scientifically innovative drugs approved in the U.S. from 1998 to 2007 resulted from research at universities and biotech firms, not big drug companies, research shows. And despite their rhetoric, drug companies spend 19 times more on marketing than on research and development.