RE: Cuba Interferon17 Jan 2021 12:49
Not all countries respect patents. For poorer countries it's hard to blame them. It would really be better if things could be licenced at a nominal cost. The profits come from the developed world which can afford it and which gets the most economic value from it. Big pharma and governments have the resources to make it available more widely if they choose to do so - and maybe if they get pressure, or see other benefits. But ultimately profits drive investment, increase supply, bring down costs and make it available to the most people.
Ideally we get our high-end Synairgen branded interferon beta and the world's poor get a cost price generic (same drug though :-). Suits me fine, we all benefit. It's not like we're missing out on any revenue, they haven't got any money in the first place.