The end of antibiotics?

[jbird4049]

Drug companies have been cutting back on research for better vaccines, and antibiotics for years. They just sit on the patents on what they already make. Also the mass use of antibiotics in animal feed is also a problem in creating drug resistance. There have been efforts to stop this, but they have blocked.

It's basically a risky move to go and first research and then get a new medicine on the market. When there's an old one that makes money for the Company, why rock the boat? What is interesting is that these huge medical giants can basically get their profits from just a few medicine they produce. Naturally they don't want their finances breaken down that way (to show just from what they get their money), but it's known.

Patents are essential. When they expire, a medical Company can be in huge difficulties. The most profitable drug (in 2014) is a good example of this:

Humira, a drug that treats certain forms of arthritis, totalled $11.8 billion in 2014, more than any other prescription drug. Recently, rival drugmaker Amgen’s sought permission to market a cheaper, generic version of Humira. The request was struck down by the U.S. patent office. With the ruling, AbbVie’s claims that Humira sales will hit $18 billion by 2020 may be far more likely.

Pharmaceutical companies generate an estimated $300 billion in profit a year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Much of that value is driven by a handful of extremely popular prescription drugs.

See here

There use to be ongoing research. Now there is not because of the now very short term thinking of American businesses.