Two articles for your consideration (pharmaceuticals)

[spinbaby]

The first article describes a lawsuit against Genzyme because it's rationing the only treatment for a rare genetic disorder, causing "pain, myocardial infarctions, strokes and possibly kidney problems, and some deaths."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11069/1131070-100.stm#ixzz1GEMCd3ts

The second article describes how the CEO of Genzyme is about to rake in $158.4 million from a buyout by a French company.

http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2011/03/08/report-genzyme-chief-could-reap-221-2m-in-sanofi-deal/

[Aerows]

1. What about the orphan-drug program...

...that took the cost of a cheap to produce progesterone shot for preventing premature babies from a price of $10 to $1500 because AV pharmaceuticals lobbied for it to become an orphan drug (one that has been in use for a long time, but is only used to treat a specific, less common condition), and then gained a monopoly on it? This would raise the total cost of treatments from about $200, to $30,000. Yes, you are reading that correctly. This is not difficult to make, and Doctors are afraid to prescribe anything else because it has been used for so long.

Their rationalization - "The $30,000 in treatments will still be less than the cost to raise a preemie, so there will be a net savings for parents."