The School of Economics is  pleased to announce the next Contemporary Economic Issues lecture, which takes place on Monday the 18th of February, from 6pm, in lecture theatre Arts 01.02. The talk introduces:

 Entry and Deterrence in Generic Drugs Market

 Dr. Farasat Bokhari, UEA School of Economics and Centre for Competition Policy

 Innovative drugs are issued patents and market exclusivity to encourage the development of new drugs.  Once the relevant patents expire, entry by generic manufacturers leads to a substantial drop in prices, making them more affordable. Driven by concerns about declining innovation and delays in generic entry, the European Commission's Directorate General for Competition launched an inquiry into the pharmaceutical sector in January 2008 to examine both the reasons for the slowdown in new novel drugs reaching the market, and for delays in generic drug entry.  The subsequent report identified five items in the 'toolbox' available to pharmaceuticals to delay the entry of generic medicines.  This lecture highlights the use of one such tool -- pay-to-delay deals -- which involve reverse-payments from the innovator to a generic challenger, and provides estimates of how much such deals cost society.

 Farasat is Senior Lecturer in the School of Economics and Centre for Competition Policy at the UEA.  His current research focuses (among other areas) on the valuation of new pharmaceutical products. 

 *Please note that in earlier publicity for this lecture, the talk was titled ‘NHS Reforms and Hospital Competition’

Refreshments are provided at the end of the lecture, to which members of the public are warmly welcomed to attend on a free entry basis.