Drug giants pay other firms to keep generics off the market

The pharmaceutical giants’ tactic of paying other  companies to delay the introduction of generic drugs into the market costs patients an estimated $3.5 billion a year.

The brand-name drugs rake in much more money when there are no equivalent generics on the market.

I sometimes get generic equivalents for some of my prescription drugs through Canada because they have been kept off the market in the United States. The cost through Canada has been as much as one-fourth the tab  for the same brand-name drug in the United States.

According to the attached article in the September 2012 issue of the AARP Bulletin, one federal appeals court ruled the pay-to-delay strategy anti-competitive. Since three other appeals courts have ruled them legal, the issue probably will wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, you’ll continue to pay more for brand-name drugs because the pharmacy giants are paying other companies to keep the generic equivalent off the market.