The added risk is that in pricing pharmaceuticals too high folks are going to seek alternative sources and that means on the Internet. But much of the cr*p sold there originate from that great powerhouse of 'fake-just-about-everything' - to wit China. There is a crisis in Africa from the widespread use of fake Chinese medicines. And these have even found their way into the NHS in the UK via unscrupulous importers. Next time you get prescribed a bunch of pills and ointments ask your Dr. if he can guarantee that they are authentic. He wont know.

And for many - certainly in the UK - viable and affordable alternative sources of self-medication are frequently from natural sources or homoeopathic treatments of many kinds. But these are now being actively banned by the EEC kow-towing to the greedy pharmaceuticals. On April 1 most of these become illegal throughout Europe. However the UK is holding out for the present.

The film The Idiot Cycle states that in Washington there are more lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry than there are congressmen/women. I guess the same applied to Brussels.