The US and the EU recently introduced regulation to curb the extent of risky off-label drug use. It offers manufacturers a prolongation of patent protection or exclusivity if they invest in pediatric clinical tests. This paper shows that a reinforcement of physician liability for off-label use may be the preferred instrument for achieving dynamic efficiency. The liability threat reduces the demand for off-label use, giving manufacturers an appropriate incentive to invest in extended approval. By contrast, patent prolongation does not affect physicians' prescription decisions and increases the likelihood of investments in cases where the induced additional benefit falls short of testing costs.
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Paper provided by Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen in its series Ruhr Economic Papers with number
0114.
Find related papers by JEL classification: I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets K13 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Tort Law and Product Liability
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References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Danzon, Patricia M., 2000.
"Liability for medical malpractice,"
Handbook of Health Economics,
in: A. J. Culyer & J. P. Newhouse (ed.), Handbook of Health Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 26, pages 1339-1404
Elsevier.
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