5 ms·

What kind of evidence do you have for this claim?

mtgx 8y ago
There is none. People just like to parrot that Big Pharma line because it "sounds like it makes sense, so I guess it does?!" Big Pharma already abuses the patent system so much, like inventing something and then when the 20 year monopoly has passed they create a new patent that says "this same drug can be used for Y purpose, too" - and bam, another 20 year monopoly on the exact same or very slightly tweaked recipe. Tens of thousands are already dying every year in the US because they can't afford healthcare. If the argument is that "if we reduce the Big Pharma profits then it would be even worse!", I'm sorry, I just don't buy it. If drugs were cheaper, a large portion of those people could be saved (yes, I realize there are problems with the healthcare system, too, but those would also be fixed by Medicare for all).
JamesBarney 8y ago
Evidence that if the profits of new drug drops significantly that the money spent on R&D on those new drugs will also drop? Imagine the government decides to tax 80% of all revenue from all technology companies forever. Do you think funding for startups would increase, stay the same, or drop? The obvious answer is drop, but what type of evidence would you expect to support this statement. A study of people taxing technology companies @ 80%? Or are you arguing with the premise that investment rates are correlated with profitability?
- rndgermandude 8y ago
  Worst straw man I saw in a long while. PS: >The obvious answer is drop No. You "feel" it is "right" and "obvious" even, and it might as well be if we really did that experiment, but humans are pretty bad at predictions.
  - JamesBarney 8y ago
    What is your argument that it wouldn't affect R&D spending?
    - rndgermandude 8y ago
      One scenario that might happen is that the increased competition might lead to more R&D spending as companies might try to make up for the "lost" profits of their current portfolio by bringing new (patented) drugs to market. The idea that competition leads to innovation is not exactly new.
      - JamesBarney 8y ago
        Why would a decrease in price drive an increase in competition?
refurb 8y ago
Orphan drugs are a great example. Back in the 1970's, there was no research into orphan diseases because the return on investment wasn't there. The Orphan Drug Act (in the US), combined with a tolerance for very high prices (hundreds of thousands of dollar per year) resulted in an explosion of research into orphan drugs.

mtgx 8y ago

There is none. People just like to parrot that Big Pharma line because it "sounds like it makes sense, so I guess it does?!" Big Pharma already abuses the patent system so much, like inventing something and then when the 20 year monopoly has passed they create a new patent that says "this same drug can be used for Y purpose, too" - and bam, another 20 year monopoly on the exact same or very slightly tweaked recipe. Tens of thousands are already dying every year in the US because they can't afford healthcare. If the argument is that "if we reduce the Big Pharma profits then it would be even worse!", I'm sorry, I just don't buy it. If drugs were cheaper, a large portion of those people could be saved (yes, I realize there are problems with the healthcare system, too, but those would also be fixed by Medicare for all).

JamesBarney 8y ago

Evidence that if the profits of new drug drops significantly that the money spent on R&D on those new drugs will also drop? Imagine the government decides to tax 80% of all revenue from all technology companies forever. Do you think funding for startups would increase, stay the same, or drop? The obvious answer is drop, but what type of evidence would you expect to support this statement. A study of people taxing technology companies @ 80%? Or are you arguing with the premise that investment rates are correlated with profitability?

rndgermandude 8y ago
Worst straw man I saw in a long while. PS: >The obvious answer is drop No. You "feel" it is "right" and "obvious" even, and it might as well be if we really did that experiment, but humans are pretty bad at predictions.
- JamesBarney 8y ago
  What is your argument that it wouldn't affect R&D spending?
  - rndgermandude 8y ago
    One scenario that might happen is that the increased competition might lead to more R&D spending as companies might try to make up for the "lost" profits of their current portfolio by bringing new (patented) drugs to market. The idea that competition leads to innovation is not exactly new.
    - JamesBarney 8y ago
      Why would a decrease in price drive an increase in competition?

refurb 8y ago

Orphan drugs are a great example. Back in the 1970's, there was no research into orphan diseases because the return on investment wasn't there. The Orphan Drug Act (in the US), combined with a tolerance for very high prices (hundreds of thousands of dollar per year) resulted in an explosion of research into orphan drugs.