[refurb]

Indeed. Companies have a limited time to recoup costs. Once the patent runs out, that $10,000 drug turns into a $500 drug. Forever. That benefit can't be ignored.

[brixon]

There are many ways to extend the patent or the effect of the patent: https://www.upcounsel.com/how-long-does-a-drug-patent-last

[refurb]

There are and some of them are an abuse of the system. However, most drugs pretty quietly go generic.

A good example is Lipitor. For Pfizer it brought in over $11B per year in revenue. Cost was around $150 per month. You can now get a month’s supply for $5.94 according to GoodRx. That’s a 96% reduction in the cost.

[ourmandave]

Well, except for Daraprim which has been off patent for 62 years.

It went from $13.50 to $750 overnight because it only has one producer that decided to raise the price 5500%.

https://www.vox.com/2015/9/22/9373557/daraprim-competitor-tu...

And there's no generic insulin sold in the US, even though it was discovered 90+ years ago.

https://www.npr.org/2015/03/22/394634923/90-years-after-its-...

[refurb]

Exceptions don’t make the rule.

For the vast,vast majority of drugs they are dirt cheap once the patent runs out.

[ourmandave]

But exceptions are the point.

We live with a system that allows exceptions that manifest as the Pharmabro.

My power bill doesn't randomly jump 5000% from last month.

[oldgradstudent]

> My power bill doesn't randomly jump 5000% from last month.

Probably because Enron is no longer in business.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_electricity_crisis?...