How Martin Shkreli prevents generic versions of his pricey pill
Ever since Martin Shkreli accelerated the national debate over prescription drug pricing, there has been confusion over how he slammed the door on lower-cost generic versions of his pricey pill. After all, the drug, known as Daraprim, has been around for 62 years and no longer has patent protection. So wouldn’t his big boost in price – Shkreli’s Turing Pharmaceutical raised the cost from $13.50 to $750 a pill – entice generic drug makers to produce their own versions for a hefty profit?
Maybe it would. But Shkreli won’t let that happen. Turing is using a so-called controlled distribution system that prevents generic drug makers from purchasing Daraprim. And without sufficient supplies, a generic drug maker is unlikely to have enough medicine to run clinical tests needed for FDA approval.