BMJ 2008;336:1266-1267 (7 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39601.618241.DB
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US branded drug makers pay to prevent generic competition
Janice Hopkins Tanne
1 New York
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Companies that make branded drugs make payments or beneficial agreements called "side deals" to prevent or restrict marketing of a generic form of a patented drug, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported last month.
The commission reported that there were 33 final settlements in the fiscal year 2007. Fourteen included payment to the aspiring generic manufacturer and a restriction on the generic company’s ability to market the generic drug, a number similar to the previous year. The report did not name the companies involved.
"‘Pay for delay’ settlements continue to proliferate," said the commissioner Jon Leibowitz. "That’s good news for the pharmaceutical industry, which will make windfall profits on these deals. But it’s bad news for consumers, who will be left footing the bill. These agreements inflict special pain on the working poor and the elderly, who need effective drugs at affordable prices."
A spokesman for the commission, Mitchell
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