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Cost of developing new drugs may be lower than industry claims: trial

(www.theguardian.com)
275 points swores | 2 comments | 25 Apr 24 12:25 UTC | HN request time: 0.433s | source
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MisterDizzy ◴[26 Apr 24 19:45 UTC] No.40173334[source]▶
Drug companies are unambiguously out of control. Some of these new molecules don't even need to be invented, they're just legally distinct repackaging of something they can't gouge on anymore. These companies could, if they had an incentive to do so, research effective off-label uses of existing drugs, say. But there's no money in that. There is a ton of money in making legally distinct "new" drugs that do the same thing as newly-generic drugs. It's unacceptable what they get away with.

Covid ought to have been the final straw that brought all sides together to do something about drug companies.

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nimbius ◴[26 Apr 24 19:55 UTC] No.40173477[source]▶
that we so rapidly transitioned to --and away from-- a rapid, effective and universal free COVID vaccine for the majority of americans in such a relatively short period of time without any sincere discussion or commentary from news media or public policy officials really spoke volumes to me about the kind of national policy the United States is either pursuing with conscientious determination, or blithe indifference.

we could have done covid style vaccines for a litany of other incredibly dangerous yet common causes of death in the US like flu shots and HPV, but we dont. we charge real moneys for these things as though the cost of the development of the drug itself isnt borne almost exclusively by the taxpayer.

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1. ericmcer ◴[26 Apr 24 20:13 UTC] No.40173692[source]▶
The government was paying just Pfizer like 50bn a year for Covid vaccines, I’m sure if you add up all the manufacturers they were easily paying 100bn a year from 2021-2023. I don’t have all the math but I am guessing it ended up costing at least $500/yr to vaccinate a person.

That is a long ways from free, there is just the bit of abstraction that allows corporations to rob us blind. If we had to go get $500 out of an ATM and hand it to the pharmacy everyone would have been throwing a fit. Bundle it in with the taxes that get silently pulled from your paycheck before you even get it though? No biggie.

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2. ceejayoz ◴[26 Apr 24 20:17 UTC] No.40173746[source]▶
Any cite for this?

https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/how-muc... says as of a year ago the total across all manufacturers for multiple years was $30B, at a per-dose cost of $20.69. Given how dismal booster uptake has been and the cessation of free vaccination in the fall, I severely doubt the last year has seen the extra $70B you assert.