Study: R&D just 22 percent of spending by largest drug makers

The largest U.S. pharmaceutical and biotech companies spend just 22 cents out of every dollar on research and development, according to an analysis released today by the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing. The study, conducted in partnership with GlobalData, combined publicly available financial disclosures with market research on sales and marketing spending for the 10 largest U.S.-based pharmaceutical and biotech companies for which prescription drug sales represented at least half of revenue. “Big Pharma likes to hide behind R&D as an excuse for price-gouging American patients and exploiting monopolies, but the math just doesn’t add up,” said CSRxP Executive Director Lauren Aronson. “Big Pharma is investing more boldly in profits, advertising and corporate overhead than in researching new cures.” The AHA is a founding member of CSRxP.