> In April 2014, U.S. House Democrats Henry Waxman, Frank Pallone Jr., and Diana DeGette wrote Gilead Sciences Inc. questioning the $84,000 price for sofosbuvir. They specifically asked Gilead CEO John Martin to "explain how the drug was priced, what discounts are being made available to low-income patients and government health programs, and the potential impact to public health by insurers blocking or delaying access to the medicine because of its cost."
The existing standard of care was a liver transplant. The price that the manufacturers set for the drug was based on what they thought various insurers would be willing to pay for it.
People definitely caterwauled about a $100,000 drug regimen, nevermind that it is often a cure and a lot better than an organ transplant.
Who screamed to give it away when who invented it? Who wanted to pay / set a $100k price?
Who made the existing treatment?
If capitalism worked who would sell the new pill for less? If it’s better, couldn’t you charge more?