Merck Sues Over Law Empowering Medicare to Negotiate With Drugmakers

[Dill]

(06-07-2023, 10:38 PM)michaelsean Wrote: But we act outraged that the company opposes this action. Any company would oppose it.

Guess it's ok then.  

Unless maybe there is another question here-- 

Why would citizens who bear the cost of competition-free prices NOT oppose it?

And instead oppose the "big government" keeping prices reasonable?

[Dill]

(06-08-2023, 07:00 AM)pally Wrote: The government negotiates contracts hundreds if not thousands times a day, including Medicare provided services.  

Why should drug companies doing business with Medicare be exempt is the question?

Hard to frame the question that way, if you've been groomed to think "Government is the problem!" 
A substantial number of voters may prefer higher prices to more Dem-inspired "regulation" telling business what to do.

In this case, though, gov. won't be setting prices--just setting limits on what it, AS CUSTOMER, will pay.
Something middle and working class Americans have to do everyday as they budget to meet their medical costs.

I think what's got Merck's back up is that Biden's bill tacks price calculations to ACTUAL R&D costs and 
how much of that has been recouped.

For decades now Big Pharma has gotten away with its exorbitant pricing by persuading enough people that
R&D accounts for their raising prices so far beyond production costs. They don't want a national
discussion about that. Could stray into how much of that R&D has already been paid for by the public.  LOL

[*michaelsean*]

(06-08-2023, 06:53 PM)Dill Wrote: Guess it's ok then.  

Unless maybe there is another question here-- 

Why would citizens who bear the cost of competition-free prices NOT oppose it?

And instead oppose the "big government" keeping prices reasonable?

Yes it’s ok for the company to oppose it.

[GMDino]

(06-08-2023, 08:50 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Yes it’s ok for the company to oppose it.

Legally?  Yes.

Morally I have a problem with it.

Morally I have a problem with a lot of stuff that involces greed...lol.

[*michaelsean*]

(06-08-2023, 08:55 PM)GMDino Wrote: Legally?  Yes.

Morally I have a problem with it.

Morally I have a problem with a lot of stuff that involces greed...lol.

Why is it greed? What’s the price that isn’t greedy? Pally’s example of the good Canadian price is pretty steep.

[GMDino]

(06-08-2023, 09:17 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Why is it greed?  What’s the price that isn’t greedy?  Pally’s  example of the good Canadian price is pretty steep.

I'm not sure what is a non-greedy price for a drug that cancer patients need to survive.  At some point it should be affordable for the majority of people.  

The polio vaccine was free.

I am sure that drug companies have played fast and loose with the rules to keep raising prices on drugs with little concern about it.  It affects all of us as insurance companies raise rates to keep up.  One hand feeding the other, I guess.

Although now that there was enough pushback they are lowering them some.

[*michaelsean*]

(06-08-2023, 09:35 PM)GMDino Wrote: I'm not sure what is a non-greedy price for a drug that cancer patients need to survive.  At some point it should be affordable for the majority of people.  

The polio vaccine was free.

I am sure that drug companies have played fast and loose with the rules to keep raising prices on drugs with little concern about it.  It affects all of us as insurance companies raise rates to keep up.  One hand feeding the other, I guess.

Although now that there was enough pushback they are lowering them some.

I have no problem with pushback from the public.

[Dill]

(06-08-2023, 08:55 PM)GMDino Wrote: Legally?  Yes.

Morally I have a problem with it.

Morally I have a problem with a lot of stuff that involces greed...lol.

Me too. In fact I have a "legal" problem with it too.

[NATI BENGALS]

I saw a well made commercial for a new drug the other day, of course with the horrifying side-effect warning run down, promoting/selling a drug for a condition I’ve never even heard of. I’m not the smartest guy, but I’m far from the dumbest. And while I’m not a doctor I have heard of a lot of common medical issues.

To make it short, I was totally shocked at a commercial for a drug to treat a rare condition being broadcast at like 2 in the morning during South Park. Is that really necessary? If the drug is so great shouldn’t the person’s doctor have it in their arsenal to treat the patient?

Do other countries have drug companies jacking up the costs by making commercials to advertise their drugs that treat rare conditions?