The federal government puts a lot of money--the people's money--into research that leads to lifesaving drugs.
But when the drugs get final approval and land on the market, the intellectual property rights are usually owned by big companies that charge top dollar for the drugs.
Alexander Zaitchik asks why, in his book Owning the Sun: A People's History of Monopoly Medicine from Aspirin to COVID-19. Zaitchik, a freelance journalist, covers all angles of the story, from corporations to congress and most places in between.
He joins us for an overview of the situation.