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 h ... Show More
Yesterday
Why the Ebola Outbreak Has Been Nearly Impossible to Stop
At the front lines of the Ebola crisis in Central Africa, badly equipped health workers with little outside support are losing the fight against one of the worst outbreaks in history. Declan Walsh, a New York Times correspondent covering the outbreak, takes us to the epicenter of ... Show More
30m 32s
Jun 2
How Elon Musk Engineered the World’s Biggest I.P.O.
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite maker, is set to go public and begin selling shares as soon as next week. Ryan Mac, who reports on business, explains the plan for the company’s expected record-shattering debut on the stock market, and how it is changing the rules for inv ... Show More
30m 37s
Oct 2021
Sick Money (Pt 1): Exposing the drug companies' price gouging tactics
<p>In the first of two episodes this week, we're taking a deep dive into the pharmaceutical industry. </p><p>How much does the medication you take actually cost? What if a company came along and bought the rights to a particular drug and started charging double, triple, or even 1 ... Show More
29m 31s
Mar 2024
Long Reads: Big Pharma's Toxic Record w/ Nick Dearden
<p>From the HIV/AIDS crisis, to the opioid epidemic, to the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmaceutical corporations have been accused of profiteering at the expense of countless lives. Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now and the author of a new book called <a href="https://www.ve ... Show More
53m 19s
Jul 2023
Sawbones: Patents vs. Life-Saving Drugs
<p>John Green recently made a video asking Johnson & Johnson not to extend their patent on a tuberculosis drug, which would keep it exclusive and expensive. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about how drug patents work, the recent (good) update about bedaquiline specifically, and the ne ... Show More
38m 46s