Doctors without Borders carried out a large drug trial, seeking approval of a treatment for tuberculosis, was able to do it for only 34 million dollars, Big Pharma claims they cost billions, and use that as an excuse for making drugs so expensive.

It seems that is one more reason for taking drug trials away from pharma companies. The main reason is that their influence corrupts the results.

The research should also be funded by governments or noncommercial organizations. That would eliminate all the supposed arguments for patents on medicines.