TonyV8341

http://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/buyingusingmedicinesafely/understandinggenericdrugs/ucm167991.htm

Most of it has to due with the cost of R&D and the number affected with disease, The average cost of development is very high ~$1 Billion and if there is only 10,000,000 people with the disease they are going to have to split the cost among a lower number. 1/3 of all drugs don't even make their R&D costs back

it's mostly the size and complexity of the drug trials, as well as how many studies you have to do to prove safety.

The cost now is about $1 billion for the first pill.

I think it would lower it short term, but pharma companies would just increase their marketing to doctors instead. If you outlaw marketing to doctors that would be a bigger impact