> My point is that pharma R&D is not a significant cause of high insurance premiums or high health care costs in general.
It's the same issue across the industry. There are patents on medical devices, diagnostic tests, imaging equipment, etc. It's a major source of costs. And nobody is claiming that it's the only one.
Pharma R&D itself is not a major source of costs. It’s around 2-3%. Sure, you could potentially make an improvement there, but its role in our massive health care costs is vastly overstated.
It's the same issue across the industry. There are patents on medical devices, diagnostic tests, imaging equipment, etc. It's a major source of costs. And nobody is claiming that it's the only one.