Big Pharma And Little Pharma United......Against You

One of the things I don't miss from yesteryear are the daily instances of customers flying into a foaming at the mouth rage at the very thought of putting a generic medicine into their bodies. Back when I was a young drugnazi intern I was constantly talking people down from generic-induced screaming rants, people convinced I was part of some plot to rob them of their God given right to have a tablet that was slightly shiner and that came in a better looking box. It still happens occasionally, usually from people planning to sell their Vicodin who want to make sure the brand name is on the tablet so their customers know they're not getting ripped off, but for the most part, the screaming on this issue has died down considerably. I would like to think my years of patiently explaining to people that there was indeed no difference in the quantity of quality of chemical that gets put into your body are partly responsible. More than likely though it has to do with the ever-expanding gap in copays between brand name meds vs. generics. If your insurance covers the brand at all these days, you'll more than likely pay out the ass for it.

Here's the real deal scoop on generic meds. They're a win-mostly win situation for both your pharmacy and you. Your drugstore pays a hell of a lot less for generics wholesale and passes most of the savings on to you, meaning more money in the pocket of both you and your drugstore, and less for big pharma.....bbrrrrwwwwooohhhaaahhhhaaahhhhaaahhhhaaaaaa!!!!!! In your face GlakoSmithKline!!! Just like with any happy situation though, we should have known it would soon be under attack by giant corporations lusting after every last dollar they can suck up. And sure enough, we hear from the Washington Post this tale of a unique adventure in capitalism, companies getting paid to do nothing:

Brand-name drug companies have resumed the practice of slowing the sale of cheaper generic competitors by cutting deals that result in paying millions of dollars to makers of generic drugs while consumers continue to pay brand-name prices.

Generic drugs, which generally cost a fraction of the brand-name original, come to the market after the product's 20-year patent expires. The law and business practices governing patents can be complicated, however, and many generics become available only after successful court challenges.

When brand-name and generic companies agree to end their patent litigation, both generally benefit but the public suffers. The agreements allow the branded companies to maintain their patent exclusivity for longer periods, while the generic company receives money for, in effect, dropping its challenge. The generic companies also often enter into agreements to produce lower-priced versions of the brand-name company's drug at a predetermined date -- far in the future.

So it's still a win mostly win.

Win: Big Pharma

Mostly Win: Generic manufacturers, who get to live out the American Dream of getting large checks while sitting on their ass.

This time though, the in your face!!!! is directed at.....you.

You can read the whole article here.