Now that Biden/Harris were actually able, through deft negotiations and market incentives, to cut the US prices of very high burden, widely prescribed medicines (most of which are nearing their early "at-risk" generic launch dates, under the Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984)... The frothy hard right offers an "AI" conjecture (but it is really just some conservative patent lawyer -- trying to write under the cloak of AI, and avoid offending his high-end clients in the generic and branded space!) that maybe the generics will now not enter the market -- at all.
Poppycock.
These drugs are so widely prescribed (all as life-long, life-saving meds!), that the generics will absolutely seize the vast economic opportunity, in 2026 and beyond, no matter what. [And prices will decline, some more. Moreover, there will be additional drugs, now -- added to the list for negotiated prices in the coming Harris Administration, 2024-2028.]
That was the bi-partisan genius of the Hatch-Waxman Act's patent improvements. Signed by old Saint Ronnie into law (1984). The GOP [elderly] conservative base has loved it ever since.
Another way to look at this, then is to accept that the negotiations have created near-generic pricing, about two years earlier than forecast on 10 multi-billion dollar franchises in the US.
But to say "it could be" that Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddys and Teva, and the rest won't enter the market is... to expose a vast misunderstanding of how this all works. The generics will absolutely be able to sell these medicines for about 80% more than it costs to make them, even if the full 79% maximum discounts filter all the way down to the US retail consumers. [And not all of them will.]
What this all is -- is proof that progressive policies can work, and pharma can still make hundreds of billions in profits, AND consumers can see the benefit of generic pricing a few years ahead of the Hatch-Waxman dates.
What this is NOT. . . is any form of "price freeze", or any form of socialism -- or communism (as the frothy hard right bloggers endlessly and falsely burp).
Was Reagan. . . a socialist?
Of course not. Nah -- it is just that Trump cannot stand to be shown as a welsher on a populist theme/meme he offered, on the campaign trail in 2016 and into 2018. [He simply lacks the frontal lobe processing power to get sophisticated deals done, at all. "To a guy who only has a hammer in his tool-belt, everything looks like. . . a nail."]
We got it done. Promise. . . kept. Grinning -- ear to ear.
नमस्ते
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