[chief911]

Seems Merck thinks this is the best way to compete with the generics. If they lower the price to a point they still make a profit and it prices the generics out of the market, so be it. They lost (or will lose) the patent anyway. They should still have the chance to make money though. All those that have been screaming about the price of drugs should be overjoyed. But, alas, they walk around like Bad Luck Schleprock with a cloud of doom over their heads.

[dangus]

>> Seems Merck thinks this is the best way to compete with the generics. If they lower the price to a point they still make a profit and it prices the generics out of the market, so be it. <<

I think the concern is that Merck will hold prices ridiculously low, until it drives the generic makers bankrupt, then, lacking any competition, send prices soaring. Y'all remember when Windows offered Office for free, until it killed off Novel's office (i.e., Word Perfect), which had cost around $80, and then started charging $450? (The name, "Word Perfect" is now used by Corel.)

[HamiltonJay]

The problem is MERC and others may not drop it low enough to make a profit, but so low that they are actually losing money in order to drive generics out of business.... much the way AT&T did with phones prior to their breakup.

MERC can afford to lose money on one drug, while its still got large markups on others to cover it... generic producers may not have that ability.... and the end game of no generic drugs being available means eventually higher prices for everyone.

[pepperdog]

"a cloud of doom over their heads."

They can shift their fears to GLOBAL WARMING, which is being pushed mightily by the MSM. Just look and listen, I bet it is published and mentioned at least three times every day by the media outlets. It is just happy coincidence that Gore's picture show is playing too (wink, wink).

P.S. Cheaper drugs are good, as would be cheaper gas and lower taxes.