Reply to post: As in all else, Orwell is correct.

As in all else, Orwell is correct.

"The big guys spend 1.5-2 X more on selling as they do on actual R&D."

Yes, but all advertising has to more than pay for itself to be sensible. Without spending those big bucks on advertising, their ales would be lower, so their revenue would be lower; and therefore their research budget (which in pharma runs about 20% of revenue) would also be lower.

Not, of course that I in any way condone the practice that this article is about.