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Betting on hepatitis C: how financial speculation in drug development influences access to medicines

BMJ 2016; 354 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i3718 (Published 27 July 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;354:i3718

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Re: Betting on hepatitis C: how financial speculation in drug development influences access to medicines

Access to medicines,particularly the recently introduced and expensive ones poses a huge challenge to public health systems with obligatory duties , and tends to produce a frustrating situations for clinicians where diagnosis is established and treatment remains elusive or compliance incomplete. The strategies employed by companies have discussed at length ; markets fluctuate and shareholders have to be kept satisfied. Limiting the buyback or setting standards for a fixed ratio between R&D and buyback could a possible solution.The non Europe/US situation can be different; low priced generics will invariably emerge..

Competing interests: No competing interests

31 July 2016
Murar E Yeolekar
Professor of Internal Medicine
K J Somaiya Medical College & Hospital
Eastern Express Highway,Ayurvihar,Sion, Mumbai 400 022 India