Drug companies make eye drops too big so you buy more

Ever notice how when you use eye drops, some drops usually spill out of your eye and onto your cheek? Ever wonder why that is? Drug companies like Novartis, Pfizer, and Allergan have known since the 1990s that smaller eye drops would be just as effective and waste less, but have not supported bringing smaller eye drops to market. The main reason companies stick with the status quo is because it increases sales to have patients buy eye drops more often. This may not be a big deal for regular saline drops, but for patients who need eye drops for glaucoma, that’s $295 per bottle that needs to be refilled again and again. For drug companies, that waste helps them make $3.4 billion in annual profits on eye drops.

SOURCE: Marshall Allen, ProPublica

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