329- Orphan Drugs

99% Invisible

• Episode: 329- Orphan Drugs
• Website: 99% Invisible
• Feed URL: http://feeds.99percentinvisible.org/99percentinvisible
• Duration: 00:27:40
• Published: 2018-11-14 01:20

We chronicle the epic struggle to get drugs that treat very rare diseases on the market, and the unintended consequence of that fight, which affected the cost of all kinds of drugs. This is a strange story that involves a hit 70s TV show, a fake march on Washington, a courageous advocate, a carnival concessions wholesaler, and a new drug law that helped a lot of people, made drug companies billions of dollars, and opened a whole can of worms.

Adapted from the new podcast An Arm and a Leg by Dan Weissmann

Orphan Drugs