[aweisberg]

For the last 18 years or so I have been taking some form of low cost Ritalin with a co-pay between 15-25 dollars.

This ancient medication that is a generic costs 130 dollars a month and that is the negotiated rate!

The money isn't going to research and it isn't going to manufacturing so where does it go?

[TheLegace]

Ugh don't even get me started on Ritalin(although it was cheap for me). It caused such a huge depression that permanently changed who I was and still feels there's no going back to before I took it.

[driverdan]

You're joking right? Drug companies are businesses just like any other. They try to maximize revenue just like everyone else.

[chimeracoder]

> The money isn't going to research and it isn't going to manufacturing so where does it go?

I don't know about Ritalin, but with Adderall, the reason for inflated prices is that the DEA artificially restricts the supply (hence the 2011 disaster[0][1]).

It's simple economics: if it were possible for new companies to enter the market (or for existing companies to produce more), supply would increase, prices would fall, and markets would clear at a (lower) equilibrium price. However, because the US is waging a war on drugs (including psychiatric medicine!), ADHD patients have to suffer the burden of increased prices (that is, when they're lucky enough to even find any in stock).

[0] https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=adderall%20short...

[1] http://www.google.com/trends/explore?q=adderall#q=adderall%2...

[Daniel_Newby]

You can get that ancient medication for a pittance, but it will be the immediate release form that has a harsh onset and a harsh withdrawal in 2 hours. You are paying for the formulation of the pills, which you evidently consider worth it.

[rsl7]

the cayman islands.