Quote Originally Posted by fj1200 View Post
^I'm talking about drug companies selling FDA approved drugs overseas though.
I understand that.

In the USA, drug companies have a patent period where patents are protected for (IIRC) 19 years. Generic versions can not be marketed during that period.

That 19 year period includes all the years the compound goes through FDA testing, which can last more than 10 years. This allows a pharma company about 10 years on the market to recoup all research and development costs for that drug, for all compounds attempted and failed (which is about 99% of compounds patented), and then earn a profit.

There are only a very few nations that enforce that patent period, essentially they are the few nations that have a pharma industry of their own.

In the other countries, brand name manufacturers are compelled to sell at lower prices to compete with generic knockoffs, of unknown safety and effectiveness, because the patents are disregarded.

In any other industry our Department of Commerce would swoop in and demand respect for our patents. With Pharmas, liberals will not hear of it. Hence, the USA is subsidizing the entire world's development of new and life saving medications.