Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20403

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Stein P, Valery E.
Competition: an antidote to the high price of prescription drugs.
Health Aff (Millwood) 2004; 23:(4):151-8
http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/23/4/151.long

Abstract:

Patent protection and factors unique to prescription drugs weaken the forces keeping prices near costs for other products. A growing public consensus that affordable drugs should be available to all is likely to increase the upward pressure on prices. To restore competition to all parts of the pharmaceutical industry, we propose a new institute at the National Institutes of Health that would compete with the private sector for pharmaceutical intellectual property by establishing competition for research and development contracts open to public and private institutions; retain the resulting patents; and grant cost-free, nonexclusive licenses to all qualified producers.

Keywords:
Cost Control Drug Industry/economics Drug Prescriptions/economics* Economic Competition* Federal Government Ownership Patents as Topic United States