Posted by Ted (205.188.193.28) on December 16, 1999 at 22:44:38:
In Reply to: Galaxo posted by Rich on December 16, 1999 at 21:51:53:
You stated that until the FDA OKs a drug (I believe that it's a 7 year process. Is that right?)the drug manufacturers can't really make any money. I'm not so sure that I agree with that as the FDA is only checking the efficacy and safety of drugs under American laws, whereas most, if not all other countries have a much shorter time frame of researching and releasing the drug. I wouldn't be surprised if the R&D money was made back before anything even touched the American markets. Also, I'm not sure I understand why a company must recoup all of it's R&D money within the several years of owning the patent on it since the remaining years it isn't a matter of breaking even or losing money.