According to Forbes ” The 31 pharmaceutical companies comprising its main trade group spent $48.5 billion on research and development last year. All told, the pharmaceutical sector has spent $550 billion on R&D since 2000. That half-trillion dollars of research has yielded more than 400 new medicines”  But of 12 cancer drugs approved in 2012, 11 cost more than $100,000.  As more drugs are offered at that level and their sponsors get away with it, it seems to set a floor that emboldens drug companies to push the envelope.  They are badly misjudging the brewing anger.