These insulin changes are like the difference between a spanner and a torque wrench, or a spanner and a ratcheting wrench. The torque wrench is definitely more effective for certain use cases, as is the ratcheting wrench, both are nontrivial, but 99% of the time the spanner would do just fine / maybe be a bit more of a hassle.
(for Americans: "spanner" -> "hammer")
Re:Break Up the Insulin Racket
by ferrari8608 on Tuesday February 23, 2016 @01:00AM
(#11156909)
I believe you meant wrench.
I'm not an expert and I can't comment on specifics. But I'm of the opinion that a small enhancement is not the same as an invention of a drug and it doesn't come anywhere close to extending the life of the patent - unless that tiny change actually makes a big different in effectiveness.
Any good patent system should find a good balance between the two seemingly conflicting goals of incentivizing companies to innovate and keeping the price down for patients.