Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/170801 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 10817
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
What makes prescription drugs cost so much? The media and Congress say it is corporate greed, while pharmaceutical firms blame federal regulations and an expensive drug development process. This study focuses on R & D (R&D) expenditures at global pharmaceutical firms and explores the driving factors behind what makes R&D for prescription drugs so costly. By combining variables that represent the news media's claims (i.e. CEO compensation) and the pharmaceutical firms' rebuttals (i.e. late-stage drug development), this study attempts to add empirical evidence to the growing debate surrounding the high and rising cost of prescription drugs. The results suggest that there is some truth to both sides of the argument- specifically; both CEO compensation and phase II development are positively correlated with R & D expenditures. However, we have reason to believe that CEO compensation is more of an indicator of business strategy than greed. Finally, this study proposes possible research extensions for continued study.
Subjects: 
profitability
price earnings ratio
drug development
CEO compensation
prescription drugs
employee effect
Research & Development
JEL: 
I11
J33
L10
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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