ACA Repeal/Replace: Progressives Face Moral Dilemma

[David Horn]

(01-18-2017, 02:03 PM)Warren Dew Wrote:

(01-18-2017, 01:11 PM)David Horn Wrote:

(01-17-2017, 01:05 PM)Warren Dew Wrote: ... budgets for big pharma companies show most of the cost being the trials necessary for FDA approval.  That's what the Japanese bargain not to pay, but if everyone bargains not to pay them, the drugs won't be developed.  (Which would be fine with me, but not so fine with the people that use them.)

Do you know what orphan drug subsidies are?  They are guarantees against competition for "developing" drugs to treat ailments that affect fewer than 200,000 (?) people.  Big Pharma uses this law as an ATM.  Some drugs, widely in use for years, get cited as a treatment for some other illness.  For example, Remicade has numerous orphan cites -- it was originally developed for rheumatoid arthritis.  The rest are free riders.. 

Don't cry crocodile tears for the pharmaceutical industry; they don't deserve it.

You might want to follow the thread.  I'm arguing to permit reimportation, which would completely undercut big pharma's market splitting strategy.  I agree we should get rid of orphan drug subsidies too - another Bush idea that was bad.

Sorry, but the subsidies are already in place.  So are the guarantees.  But playing along anyway, why would a US drug be cheaper if it's first sent to, say, Canada, then returned to the US for use?  The only reason: the Canadians negotiate drug prices by Province.   In other words, you hate single payer, but want to use someone else's single payer system to save you money.  Do you see the irony there?