>>>>>>>>>BTW, I still don't understand why are American pharmaceutical companies selling their expensive drugs in other countries so far below its market price? I mean, the price here is the honest market price - what they sell them for in Canada must be unfair competition.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Two words : Price controls
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Of course, you already knew that.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>but it did not fit to the task: corporation must be guilty.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>It's all so easy if you ignore all governmental blockades to a free market, you can then blame corporations for not being fair and proclaim the free market doesn't exist.
>>>>>
>>>>>Actually, 'blame corporations first' demagogues are a bit more sophisticated. They tell that 'free market does not work properly and should be improved', by applying another batch of blockades and prohibitions.
>>>>
>>>>Yes, and they should be ashamed. The corporations should be free to sell a $0.11 drug at $250, if the market can take it.
>>>
>>>The very idea of free market includes price mechanism based on supply/demand. It means that some company can sell some product for, let say, $250 unless another company comes up with the similar product selling it for $200. At this point, the first company will have to cut prices.
>>
>>The truth is that the 1st company will sue the 2nd one, and due to court costs etc, the price of the drug will go to $350.
>
>Wow, Alan. If it is all that you can come up with, then I still have some hopes in you (remember that thread about going out without pants).

You think? When a company develops a pharmaceutical, they patent it. the patent is good for 17 years. During that time, they have a monopoly on that product. There essentially is no competition. If someone else develops a similar drug, there is very often a lawsuit filed over patent rights. Regardless that you've never heard of such a thing, it does happen.