According to a report from the PEW Charitable Trusts, spending on pharmaceuticals consumes somewhere between 10 and 17% of every healthcare dollar in the US. Have you ever wondered why drugs cost so much? This excellent article from the New Your Review of Books discusses the history of the pharmaceutical industry, how patent law and the structure of health care systems has affected drug pricing over the years and current trends that are likely to affect the pricing and availability of drugs in the future.
Why do drugs cost so much?