this post was submitted on 21 May 2025
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Science

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The demand for the widely used cancer drug Taxol is increasing, but it’s difficult and expensive to produce because it hasn’t been possible to do it biosynthetically. Until now, that is. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have cracked the last part of a code that science has struggled with for 30 years. The breakthrough could halve the price of the drug and make production far more sustainable.

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[–] Fredselfish@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Probably not in America though.

[–] tischbier@feddit.org 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Prince only goes up and wage only goes down.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 week ago

Well, wage goes up, but inflation goes up faster

[–] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

Ooooorrr drug companies could raise the price a little and more than double their profits!

[–] Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net 11 points 1 week ago

Wow! I can't wait! Oh wait, the prices won't change, but the drug companies will pocket the difference! Such a win for capitalism

[–] Bort@hilariouschaos.com 5 points 1 week ago

Or, hear me out, we keep the same price and make more money

[–] Butler@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

*we can now double the profits of costly cancer drug

This lede is insane. As if the price of a drug corresponds at all with production cost. Especially when so much research is publicly subsidized. Let me put this in simple terms the reason drugs are expensive is because of monopoly and IP patent warfare. Not because of how hard it is to make,