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This is an article which states the drug is now under the price control of the government. But according to it, there would be non-price control for medicine/drug options as well. It also says that the task force will serve as a framework for the new drug pricing policy. Since the government thinks that price controlling system doesn't really work for this kind of product, the drug makes are really looking forward to the new pricing policy.

The government of India has decided to remove the price control that it had earlier set. They have come to the conclusion that having a price control will make the drug companies not sell non profitable products.

It is hard to supply products to the countries that doesn't have a good infrastucture. Most of the countries in Africa have a problems with that, as well as a problem with mortality of population. So few years ago one of the philanthropist asked: "If the Coca-Cola company can deliver a bottle of soda to a village deep in the African countryside on a daily basis, why can't governments and nonprofits figure out how to do the same with life-saving pharmaceuticals?" It used to take 30 days to deliever mediciens or vaccines to the patients, but in 2009 the Global Fund asked Coca-Cola for that support. In two years we can see a good results: in 80% of cases patient can find the right vaccination, it's 30% more than it was two years ago; it takes only 5 days to deliver them. But there is a huge difference between that two products - Coke and medicines: expensive drugs need to be refrigerated, and they expire, compare to Coca-Cola. That's why logistics takes a huge part in the planning of supply and it's excellently presented in that article.

The government in Manila is taking advantage of taxing Tobacco. Franklin M. Drilon, acting chairman of the senate, is trying to make this tax a done deal. He thinks it should be taxed because it is a "sin" product. It would see the government raise 40-45 billion Peso's in tax revenue. Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos is concerned about this and is doing his best to prevent this tax. He knows the affects it could have on the tobacco farmers. There are about 18,000 tobacco farmers who are concerned about this tax. I think this is unfair of the Government. I don't think tobacco is a "sin" good, as it is many peoples alternative to drugs. This tax could put many producers out of jobs seeing as the demand will not be as high, and also this tax could force poor people to go back to cheaper alternatives that are very unhealthy and addictive.

The new health care effective 2013 will introduce an excise tax on all medical devices such as bed pans and stents. Being one of the main states with companies that produce medical devices, Minnesota will take about 25% hit of the newly levied tax. So there have been a lot protests in the state. However others parts of the medical sector such as hospitals and pharmaceutical companies are said to benefit from this tax since more people will have insurance to pay for medical facilities and drugs. The tax is also going to lead to a large of people being fired from the companies. The CEO of Medtronic, a large and prominent company in Minnesota said it will have to 1000 people go in the next year. Smaller companies are likely to be affected even worse by the tax.

Benjamin Diokno of Malaya Business Insight believes that taxes on cigarettes, liquor, gambling, and oil should be taxed much more heavily. He believes they should account for one third of all taxes. Price elasticity is about 0.6 for cigarettes and about 0.23 for liquor. I do not agree with Benjamin on this one. Firstly, because I do not believe that drinking or smoking is a sin. Some people have lots of pain and trouble in this world and maybe drinking is the only way for them to experience peace. And what if someone has just come off drugs, so instead uses cigarettes instead of Cocaine. Would you still think its a sin to smoke cigarettes? These should be taxed just as equally as other products. Im interested on your views. Comment and let me know !