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Comment by irrational | Hacker News Reader

I think the question is, what would happen if the USA passed similar laws like everyone else and the profits plummeted? How would the pharmacy companies react? If nothing changes, the USA is not subsidizing. If things get worse, they are subsidizing.

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Life would go on and companies would adapt after the initial shock.

So MANY of these discussions are pointless when we've had huge changes in the past and 5 years later people can barely remember the past discussions.

Fear of change is huge, the impact of the average change is in general quite small, in the medium to long term.

Question is how would it adapt, which is a fair question to ask and answer

I’m surprised a company doesn’t sell the product for a lower price... Oh, the US prevents this due to patent laws? Then diminish the patent rights... Oh, that would stifle innovation? Hmm, I imagine mandating lower prices might have the same effect.

I think a pretty strong case could be made that the cost of innovation is not worth it. Would it be better to have revolving door of new medicines with 1% better efficacy or all medicines for 10% the price?

Unfortunately, this requires the intellectual honesty for people to admit that profits do in fact Drive Innovation which seems to be a sticking point for most.

It is likely that costs outside of the us would rise somewhat. Hard to say for sure.

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