Court Opinion

ID: 9423429
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:07:41.58721+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:22:44.087812
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Clark,
dissenting.
I join my Brother Fortas' dissent. As he points out the regulations here merely require common honesty and fair dealing in the sale of drugs. The pharmaceutical companies, contrary to the public interest, have through their high-sounding trademarks of long-established medicines deceitfully and exorbitantly extorted high prices therefor from the sick and the infirm. Indeed, I was so gouged myself just recently when I purchased some ordinary eyewash drops and later learned that I paid 10 times the price the drops should have cost. Likewise, a year or so ago I purchased a brand name drug for the treatment of labyrinthitis at a cost of some $12, which later I learned to buy by its established name for about $1.
The Court says that its action in so sabotaging the public interest is required because the laboratories will have to “change all their labels, advertisements, and promotional materials . . . destroy stocks of printed matter; and they must invest heavily in new printing type and new supplies.” I submit that this is a lame excuse for permitting the continuance of such a dishonest practice. Rather than crying over the plight that the laboratories have brought on themselves the Court should think more of the poor ailing folks who suffer under the practice. I dare say that the practice has prevented millions from obtaining needed drugs because of the price. The labels involved here mislead the public by passing off ordinary medicines as fancy cures. The Commissioner was right in directing that the practice be stopped.
I hope that the Congress will not delay in amending the Act to close this judicial exition that the Court has unwisely opened up for the pharmaceutical companies.