Baffle em with your BS–PhARMA

Nice article at TPM on pharmaceutical manufacturers manipulating the market. After all money is what it’s all about. Health care, pshaw!

Congress is thinking of doing something about it. PhARMA’s memorable response:.

• “Patent settlements between brand-name and generics companies can resolve expensive patent disputes to help foster innovation and improve access to medicines so that patients can live healthier, more productive lives.” Medicynic: Huh? Improve access by charging more?
• “Law and public policy have always favored settlements, including patent settlements. PhRMA continues to believe that legislation that would impose a blanket ban on certain types of patent settlements or otherwise prevent them could decrease the value of patents and reduce incentives for future innovation of new medicines. This is also unnecessary because the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and others already have the authority to review and evaluate any patent settlement agreement between a brand name company and a generic company. The courts and enforcement agencies like the FTC are in the best position to review these settlements on a case-by-case basis to ensure that they are not harmful to competition. By imposing a general ban or imposing harsh disincentives, pending legislation would effectively remove the decision-making process from this appropriate venue.”

Medicynical note: So call “ethical” (they used to call themselves this) pharmaceutical manufacturers pay off generic companies, some would say bribe, to not market generics that compete with their branded drug. It’s apparently legal but highly disadvantageous to consumers. A free market, no! Guess who pays?