Eisai sets price tag of about $16,000 on liver cancer drug

Disgusted reading this.

As long as the drug companies can have a third party, independent report (read: non-government and unbiased) audited review of the actual costs and expenses, then we can talk about whether a $10k cost per dose / tablet etc is obscene or not. My knee jerk reaction is OMG, but I am sure there was an army of researchers working 24x7 on it. If this turns out to be the case and it does make reasonable business sense for them to charge $10k with a “decent” profit margin (whatever that is), then the company can elect to either sell it or to write it all off and flush it down the toilet. Currently, there’s too much public opinion and “arm chair quarterbacks” giving their gut reaction opinions. Should these companies do this all out of compassion?

And if Eisai walks from going forth with their $10k/dose meds, then aren’t the cancer sufferers screwed? Or maybe the government should swoop in and claim eminent domain, and confiscate the R&D for the good of the patients? Just playing devils advocate, having worked in this schizophrenic industry.

Oh thanks Reuters. Your crack journalism really exposed the corrupt underbelly of the US pharmaceutical industry as well as pointing fingers at the corrupt Congress who take their legal bribes.

All the nay sayers haven't a clue how incredibly expensive it is to develop and approve a successful drug, especially the new biological cancer treatments. Why don't y'all gather your pocket change and try to make your own treatments out of the goodness of your hearts? Bet you can't.

I can understand the concept of patents and covering research cost. What I can't understand is why many drugs cost so much (in the) US even if their patent has expired.