"When a drug patent comes close to expiring (which they'll prolong)..." Give me a break. Patent terms are a set 20 years from the date of filing or 17 years from the date of issuance (depending on when it was filed). It's not like you can just file a continuance or something. Granted, you can get a patent term extension when the patent first issues due to delays by the PTO or FDA approval, but you act as if companies with deep pockets can just extend their patent whenever and for whatever reason you want. I'd recommend doing a little research before you dive into conspiracy theories.
Second, your whole argument about getting a new patent for a minor improvement is equally misplaced. A new patent is NOT the same as a patent extension. Once a patent expires, everyone is still able to practice the old invention. If the improvement is as minor as you imply that it is, then it won't be enough to justify the big bad drug company's higher costs when the generic company's version of the old drug is sitting on the same shelf for half the cost. Furthermore, the original patent owner is not the only one who can apply for the new patents with minor improvements. Anyone can apply for the new improvements. So instead of crying about the drug companies getting new patents for minor improvements, the generic companies should spend some time and money discovering and patenting these improvements so that they'll actually offer society something new instead of stealing what's already been done.
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"When a drug patent comes close to expiring (which they'll prolong)..."
Give me a break. Patent terms are a set 20 years from the date of filing or 17 years from the date of issuance (depending on when it was filed). It's not like you can just file a continuance or something. Granted, you can get a patent term extension when the patent first issues due to delays by the PTO or FDA approval, but you act as if companies with deep pockets can just extend their patent whenever and for whatever reason you want. I'd recommend doing a little research before you dive into conspiracy theories.
Second, your whole argument about getting a new patent for a minor improvement is equally misplaced. A new patent is NOT the same as a patent extension. Once a patent expires, everyone is still able to practice the old invention. If the improvement is as minor as you imply that it is, then it won't be enough to justify the big bad drug company's higher costs when the generic company's version of the old drug is sitting on the same shelf for half the cost. Furthermore, the original patent owner is not the only one who can apply for the new patents with minor improvements. Anyone can apply for the new improvements. So instead of crying about the drug companies getting new patents for minor improvements, the generic companies should spend some time and money discovering and patenting these improvements so that they'll actually offer society something new instead of stealing what's already been done.