> Of course, the US is doing God's work, by overpaying for drugs. This effectively subsidises drug research, and allows all the more socialist countries to free

> Of course, the US is doing God's work, by overpaying for drugs. This effectively subsidises drug research, and allows all the more socialist countries to freeload. Another way of looking at it is that the government is paying what the drug is worth, and no more, alongside banning direct-to-consumer advertising, and heavily restricting marketing to doctors, and is therefore setting extremely direct incentives for drug companies. i.e. it is a market operating between experts with equal access to time and evidence. The money spent on marketing and advertising to consumers (who have little expertise) and doctors (who often don't have the time to make a serious judgment) not only massively increases costs, but also distorts the market.