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A decision made earlier this year by Abbott Laboratories to raise the U S price of itsprotease-inhibiting drug Norvir from about $1,500 (£843;[euro]1,240) to $7,800 (£4,380;[euro]6450) annually, which provoked an outcry among AIDS sufferers and organisations, has come underthe spotlight in a Federal public hearing.
The price of Norvir in other countries is much lower, because of government pricing restrictions. In Belgium, for example, is costs less than $720 (£440; [euro]645) annually. Norvir is an adjunct of "drug cocktails" taken by many AIDS patients, to enhance the effectiveness of nearly all other protease inhibitors they may be taking.
Abbott justifies its price hike by explaining that patients are using smaller doses ofNorvir than originally expected. The price increase was intended to recoup these losses. Because...