[phillipwills]

But it does reduce the cost of research and development coming out of the company's pocket. That said, in a capitalist society, the production price helps to set where companies will stop making it.

The price is actually set to where profit is highest, meaning it's a function of: how many people will buy at various prices and how much does it cost to produce at various quantities.

One of the strong arguments for single payer healthcare, IMHO.

[sdinsn]

Single payer healthcare is a separate issue from pharmaceutical companies. In a single payer system, there will just be a single buyer- and a single buyer, AKA a monopsony, is illegal under monopoly laws in the US.