[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Simmy

You misunderstood my reply.

Are you sure?

No one said creating a drug was cheap or that it happens overnight.
Which is what your post seems to indicate I was implying.

Not at all.

And then of course everyone has a different set of numbers to show how expensive or inexpensive it "really" is.

Very true. I pointed that out myself.

The post was about the big bucks drug companies make off their wares while the patents are standing.

The post said that big drug companies make huge profits, then pay off lawsuits that are cheap by comparison. It seems to me that a lot of people accuse them of making "obscene" profits without taking into account where a lot of those so-called profits actually go.

Pfizer I believe it was got caught paying another company $200 million "not" to make a generic brand of a drug whos patent had run out.

If they broke the law then they deserve to be punished. That doesn't mean that all drug companies engage in illegal practices, and it certainly doesn't mean that the profits they seem to make are out of line with operating and development costs.

Since you love to look up things because you always think I'm so wrong about Everything. Look up what some of these drugs made in profit and then how much the drug company paid out in the lawsuits.

First, what makes you think I "always" think you're so wrong about everything? Is it because I argued a point about which I did think you were wrong? Should I never debate someone? You have no idea what I think, and I find it interesting that you would even bring something like that up.

Second, if you want to prove a point it's your job to post links, not tell someone else to look it up.

I hear Lipator is the latest to hit the skids. It must of been around for 10 years, now they claim it has very bad side effects.

Okay. That's one. How many others? It happens.

I would do it for you, but I'm sure I would only screw it up.

Why do you think there's something special about me? Do you need my approval? Why are you sure you'd only screw it up, or is that another way of saying you wish I wouldn't debate you? If you can show it, do so.

If somebody says something I disagree with, I say something. If you want to prove me wrong, do it. It won't be the first time, or even the hundredth, that I've been wrong on these forums and it won't be the first time I've apologized.

But maybe You could tell me how if it takes so long to make a drug and so much money to get it market, and then hundreds of millions or even billions to settle the lawsuits, not to mention all the bucks to defend the company in court, how do these companies pay their CEO's and other execs that big bonus and still make those big big profits? The ones used to pay for all the R&D, testing, manufacturing, offices, plants, payroll.
Yes sir you got me feeling real sorry for them.

Yes, they make a lot of money. I won't deny that. Yes, some engage in illegal practices. That is always going to happen. I think the people responsible should go to jail. The courts feel otherwise. I just don't like blaming all for the guilt of some. I like specifics, not generalities.

As for the CEOs, they get paid what their shareholders think they are worth, not what you or I think they are worth. If they don't get the job done the way the Directors want, they get replaced by someone who can, and he gets paid what they think he's worth. I hated it when the banks that got bailed out took some of that money and gave it to the people who should have suffered the most. But then I hated the bailout anyway.

But I wonder if we should trust drug companies with providing the numbers when trying to get to the real cost. I mean they might have a good reason for making those numbers high. As in what they want to charge for the drug, the advertising for the drug, legal cost to get the drug going and maybe defend it in court. The bucks needed to show the board that we are in charge and making money for the big bonus, and all the money they have to pay out to investors and stock holders.

No, we shouldn't trust anyone. As for having a good reason, you're right. There's also the cost of paying the employees, the cost of packaging and shipping and everything else involved with manufacturing. It does cost a fortune to do all that, and again I wonder just how much the profit really is, and who it goes to.

But no need to ask, I'm sure you have all the answers.

Is there really a need to get personal? No, I don't have any answers, just questions and the willingness to look for answers. I just try not to make flat statements about how these evil companies all operate on the principle that it's cheaper and easier to settle suits than to make it right in the first place.