Forget biosimilars. Peter Bach and Mark Trusheim believe price controls are the better way to rein in biologics prices
The proverbial social contract that drugmakers often cite to defend prescription drug prices hinges on the image of a patent cliff: After a period of exclusivity that allows developers to recoup R&D costs, any treatment — even those with exorbitant price tags — eventually succumb to generic competition that inevitably brings down its cost, if not render it obsolete.
That model has largely held true for small molecule drugs. But outspoken policy researchers Peter Bach and Mark Trusheim, along with two of Bach’s associates at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, are arguing that the new generation of biologics may need an extra push down that cliff, and the force of biosimilars won’t be enough.
Unlock this article instantly by becoming a free subscriber.
You’ll get access to free articles each month, plus you can customize what newsletters get delivered to your inbox each week, including breaking news.
