[bitt]

p

[neverevergiveup]

It's a mixed picture. The motivation for profit drives the development of many life-saving or quality of life raising therapeutics. That's just reality. It's comically ironic that politicians who cater to those who can fund their campaigns would lambast the pharmaceutical industry for caring about profit.

That said, everything should be done to reduce development costs such that there is more motivation for pharmaceutical companies to pursue therapeutics and to market their products more economically. I asked a high level scientist/company officer from a famous biotech - ‘Why does (therapeutic X) costs so much? Does it reflect R&D costs?’ The answer was “That's what the market will bear.” Honest, but problematic.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

I've seen commercials advertising new pills that are just the combination of two pre-existing drugs. Also, commercials advertising drugs that already exist but now you only have to take one pill a week or one pill a month instead of one a day.

There was one really cringeworthy commercial with Sally Field where she talked about how much time was freed up in her busy schedule because she now only had to take one pill a month.

These are all ways to extend patents for longer periods.