Big Pharma makes money by creating multiple variations of drugs to extend patent life
The hidden business model of Big Pharma is to turn one drug into many—by turning out minor variations that extend patent life; and through clinical trial administration, research publication, regulatory lobbying, physician and patient education, drug pricing, advertising, and point-of-use promotion to create distinct bio marketing profiles and brand loyalty for otherwise similar products. Why? Because generic drugs are cheaper; by slightly tweaking their ingredient list, they get more time on patent protection. Hey, if it didn’t work, you know they wouldn’t be doing it.
References
- Lustig, Robert. (2021). Metabolical Chapter 6. Because Big Pharma Was Their Teacher (p. 119). New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.