Some of the most understated yet important news came out of Intermountain Health Care on Thursday. Intermountain Healthcare, with other hospital systems, is launching a new venture to start its own nonprofit drug company.
Why is this good news? Because this new venture’s goal is to create a societally owned, not-for-profit company to produce and/or sell generic drugs to ensure they are affordable, and available, to everyone.
Why is it understated? Because it will likely change the way drugs are priced and distributed. If the venture works, a distributor will no longer be able to monopolize the market for a certain drug by restraining supply and extracting the maximum price people are willing to pay.