For decades, drugmakers have argued that patents are critical to bringing new drugs to the market. But in 2004, when a promising H.I.V. treatment emerged, Gilead Sciences decided to slow-walk its release to maximize profit on the company’s existing patents.
Rebecca Robbins, who covers the pharmaceutical industry for The Times, discusses one man’s case and how patents can create perverse incentives to delay new and better drugs.
Guest: Rebecca Robbins, a business reporter covering the pharmaceutical industry for The New York Times.
Background reading:
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
25 Days to Go
The Parents Aren’t All Right
How NAFTA Broke American Politics
The Year Since Oct. 7
The Sunday Read: ‘The Blind Side’ Made Him Famous. But He Has a Different Story to Tell.
'The Interview': Al Pacino Is Still Going Big
Four Weeks to Go
Iran Retaliates
The Walz-Vance Debate: Civility and Then a Clash
Hurricane Helene’s 600 Miles of Destruction
Alliance vs. Isolation: Harris and Trump’s Competing Views on Foreign Policy
The Deserter: Parts 4 and 5
The Deserter: Parts 1-3
'The Interview': John Oliver Is Still Working Through the Rage
The Criminal Indictment of New York City’s Mayor
The Profitable Business of Holding Patients Against Their Will
The Slide Toward War in Lebanon
How the Cost of Housing Became So Crushing
How Telegram Became the Underworld’s Favorite App
'Book Review': Robert Caro on 50 Years of 'The Power Broker'
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Up First from NPR
Consider This from NPR
The World
The Ezra Klein Show
Today in Focus