As you may know, Representative Ocasio-Cortez has asked why the drug Truvada is so expensive:
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/ocasio-cortez-slams-gilead-over-hiv-drug-prices-people-are-n1006646
Gilead maintains they hold the patent for Truvada, but others claim its use for HIV prevention was discovered and proven using federal government funding:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/pharma-giant-profits-from-hiv-treatment-funded-by-taxpayers-and-patented-by-the-government/2019/03/26/cee5afb4-40fc-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html
The standard response is that patent protection encourages pharmaceutical companies to take the financial risk involved in developing new drugs. But in this case, it appears a new use for an existing drug was developed and funded by someone other than Gilead.
I normally don't pay much attention to Rep. AOC, but I think she is morally right on this issue. A life-saving drug which costs $8 in Australia should not cost $2,000 in the US, especially in light of how it was developed.
What do you think?
No comments:
Post a Comment