The law’s price controls will also deter companies from developing new medicines. A study I co-authored estimated that 135 fewer drugs will come to market through 2039 because of the Inflation Reduction Act. Research firm Vital Transformation’s forecast is even bleaker, predicting that the U.S. could lose 139 drugs within the next decade.
Dozens of life-sciences companies have announced cuts to their research and development pipelines because of the 2022 law. These announcements have come in earnings calls and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission—where deliberate misstatements would expose executives to civil and criminal penalties—so they can’t be chalked up to political posturing.
That is from Tomas Philipson at the WSJ. It is worth noting this kind of academic research has not been effectively rebutted, rather what you usually hear in response is a bunch of snarky comments about Big Pharma and the like.
And to repeat myself yet again: if you are ever tempted to cancel somebody, ask yourself "do I cancel those who favor tougher price controls on pharma? After all, they may be inducing millions of premature deaths." If you don't cancel those people -- and you shouldn't -- that should broaden your circle of tolerance more generally.