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Simple explanation: patents and the FDA represent barriers to entry for new competitors. Costs going up just means more money spent within the industry, and more profit to be taken later. Costs (and profits) going up are a consequence of patents and regulation, not the other way around. Remove patents and regulation and watch costs plummet.

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Well, we could remove patents, but removing (or lightening) regulation may be a bit more tricky: you wouldn't want Big Pharma to release something that's more a poison than a medication.

And how has regulation changed this? What extra laws do we need in place to make sure companies don't kill people other than "dont kill people"?

> And how has regulation changed this?

I don't know. Nor am I aware of any study which shows regulation's effects, or lack thereof. I'm just saying that if regulation has benefits, they should be compared to the drawbacks before we forfeit them. If it has no benefit, of course get rid of it.

Anyway, as I said, I don't know a thing about pharmaceutical regulations. If you do, a few pointers would be welcome.

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