According to an article in Life Extension published in April of 2012, there are three factors responsible for the fiscal insolvency of the US healthcare system; skyrocketing drug prices, reactive medicine, and FDA corruption. Big Pharma protects its expiring patents by filing frivolous law suits against companies making generic drugs. These costs are passed along to the buyer, thereby raising the cost of generics and delaying the time at which generic drugs can be sold. Every day that is delayed accounts for millions more dollars of sold patented drugs.
Medical practice is reactive rather than proactive and prevention oriented. Prevention is far less expensive than treating diseases that have already occurred.
Then there is the issue of FDA-Big Pharma collusion. There is a revolving door between employees of the FDA and Big Pharma that serves as a reward for indescretions offered to Big Pharma by FDA employees.
