For some years the big drugmakers have been worrying about an approaching "patent cliff"--a fall in sales as the patents on their most popular pills expire or are struck down by legal challenges, with few new potential _ to take their place. This week the patent on the best-selling drug in history expired--Lipitor, an anti-cholesterol pill which earned Pfizer nearly $11 billion in revenues last year.In all, pill like Lipitor with a combined $170 billion in annual sales will go off-patent by the end of 2015. What is supposed to happen now is that lots of copycat firms rush in with "generic" (ie, chemically identical) versions of Lipitor at perhaps one-fifth of its price.Patients and health-care payers should reap the benefit.Pfizer's revenues should suffer. The same story will be repeated many times, as other best-selling drugs march over the patent cliff But generics makers may face delays getting their cheaper versions to market.Ranbaxy, a Japanese-owned drugmaker, struggled to get regulators' approval for its generic version of Lipitor, and only won it on the day the patent expired.More importantly, research-based drug firms are using a variety of tactics to make the patent cliff slope more gently. Jon Leibowitz, chairman of America's Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is concerned by drugmakers filing additional patents on their products to put off the day when their protection expires. Another tactic is "pay-for-delay", in which a drugmaker facing a legal challenge to its patent pays its would-be competitor to put off introducing its cheaper copy. In the year to October the FTC identified what it believes to be 28 such settlements. American and European regulators are looking into these deals. However, legal challenges against them have been delayed, and a bill to ban them is stuck in Congress. To encourage generics makers to challenge patents on drugs, and introduce cheaper copies, an American law passed in 1984 says that the first one to do so will get a 180-day exclusivity period,in which no other... Pfizer exploit a loophole in the 1984 law mainly by _ . A) marketing Lipitor more actively B) making the price of Lipitor go up C) cooperating with Watson to beat Ranbaxy D) encouraging Watson to produce cheaper copies
C
I was born with epilepsy, a disease of the nervous system that causes a person to fall unconscious. I first suffered from it at 3.My mother was also born with it, but only ever so often short periods, Elementary and Junior High were not easy for me. I was unable to take part in sports and events like the other students. I was being treated with medicines, as they were trying to find the right ones for me. I was a victim of bullying. and often got off the school bus crying. I had friends and good times, but I was never happy at school. I would rather stay at home and play the piano and read books. The first two years of High School were the worst. I was bullied by girls and guys who didn't want to get to know me. I soon felt like there was something wrong with me. I felt alone, and my relationship with God was falling. Junior year, I took part in volleyball and cheerleading, and was Very 8uccessful in the two. I made t}1ree Very close friends, and I soon started acting like myself. Senior year, I was Voted class clown, and I grew so strong and I shared my kindness with all around me, and stood up for what was right. When l went off to college, I started attending church and my relationship with Cod was close again, like my younger days in Sunday sch001.1 wouldn't go back and change anything. I came to a conclusion. It was my mom who helped me and stood by my side all those years, and it was God who carried me. I am stronger than ever before, and I will never become discouraged about the bullying. I still have my beautiful family, and nothing else will take away those memories. If these difficulties and efforts bring us closer to God, then bring on the rain. WIly would the author stay at home rather than play with others? A) Because she had no friends at all to play with. B) Because she often suffered from epilepsy. C) Because she was often bullied by others. D) Because she had no skills in plays.
C
Q: Dr. Glenn Tisman, a cancer specialist, knew his young neighbor, Ray Bateman, had an unusual mind. But he had no idea at the time that 12 - year - old Ray had the ability to become his partner in cancer research. Ray's parents remembered that at age four, Ray surprised them by fixing a broken vacuum cleaner . When he was ten, he speedily constructed the family color television from a kit. Later, he succeeded in assembling a complex stereo system after two experts had failed to do the job. When Ray was ten, he convinced his parents to buy him a computer. In a short time, Ray was able to do amazing things with the computer. Ray shared his enthusiasm for computers with Dr. Tisman, who used a computer for his research. The two discussed computers and medicine frequently. Amazingly, Ray understood the biology and chemistry related to Dr. Tisman's medical research without any previous instruction. Ray then worked with Dr. Tisman after school. He helped conduct research with the equipment and kept it in working order. The purpose of the research was to test the effectiveness of mixing an old cancer drug with certain vitamins. Ray analyzed patient test results by computer, while Dr. Tisman handled all patient contact. Together, they came up with solid research that helped advance cancer treatment. In 1988, 14 - year - old Ray went with Dr. Tisman to a meeting of the American Federation for Clinical Research(AFCR), where Ray presented their initial research findings. Using terminology beyond the grasp of most kids his age, Ray told the scientists how the new drug mixture caused fewer and milder side effects for cancer patients. A year later, Ray returned to the meeting to update the findings of his and Dr. Tisman's research. By then, he had become well - known for his devotion to finding cures for sick patients. Stories about him appeared in hundred of newspapers around the world. He appeared on television newscasts and talk shows. Ray continued to spend most free hours working with Dr. Tisman. The two began studying... Dr. Tisman's research is aimed at _ . A) providing different cancer treatments B) proving the effects of vitamins on babies C) finding the side effects of a cancer drug D) testing the effectiveness of a new drug mixture
A: D