Date of Award
Spring 2015
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Major
Economics
First Advisor
Professor Adam Grossberg
Abstract
After describing the intellectual property and regulatory environment for orphan drugs in the United States, this thesis compares the investment decisions in the orphan drug market with the larger pharmaceutical industry. A series of case studies trace the development paths of different orphan products using information collected through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approved Drug Product and Orphan Drug Product Designation Databases. In addition to this analysis, difference-in-differences estimates calculated using annual revenues compare the relative success of different orphan products under the current incentive system. This study finds that partial orphan drugs are associated with larger revenue growth. Lastly, this study proposes several policy prescriptions as alternatives to the current legislation.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Sara H D, "Orphan Drug Development: Incentives Under the Orphan Drug Act". Senior Theses, Trinity College, Hartford, CT 2015.
Trinity College Digital Repository, https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/theses/486
Included in
Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics Commons, Food and Drug Law Commons, Intellectual Property Law Commons, Law and Economics Commons, Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Economics Commons
Comments
Senior thesis completed at Trinity College for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics.