As regulator prepares to approve Lenacapavir in the US, campaigners are urging the manufacturer, Gilead, to make it ‘available and affordable for all who need it’
It’s getting downvoted to oblivion because it ignores many things, namely the fact that a lot of drug research worldwide is state-funded. There are many cases in which pharmaceutical companies use public funds for R&D, and then go on to sell the drug at steep prices, raking in immense profits.
Meanwhile the public has to either cough up the bucks, or wait until the patent expires to have affordable options.
It’s getting downvoted to oblivion because it ignores many things, namely the fact that a lot of drug research worldwide is state-funded. There are many cases in which pharmaceutical companies use public funds for R&D, and then go on to sell the drug at steep prices, raking in immense profits.
Meanwhile the public has to either cough up the bucks, or wait until the patent expires to have affordable options.
These are generalisations. It’s facebook grandma reasoning.
What elements of the R&D process for this medication were state funded and to what extent?
Loads of industries receive support and incentives and grants from governments, they’re not required to give their product away?
There’s no doubt that large components of the medical industry, and the pharmaceutical industry are unethical profiteers.
It’s also true that the research needs to be funded somehow.
My point is, there is nuance here that most lemmy users just aren’t interested in. It’s not as simple as “pharma bad”.