ACN Business

Some new drugs aren’t actually ‘new’ – pharmaceutical companies exploit patents and raise prices for patients, but data transparency can help protect innovation

Written by Lucy Xiaolu Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Resource Economics, UMass Amherst

When companies file hundreds of patents for a single drug, affordable versions can remain out of reach for years.pilli/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Pharmaceutical innovation saves lives. But not every “new” drug is truly new.

Patents are designed to reward breakthrough inventions by granting the inventors temporary monopoly rights to...

Could a ‘grey swan’ event bring down the AI revolution? Here are 3 risks we should be preparing for
James Lauritz/GettyThe term “black swan” refers to a shocking event on nobody’s radar until it actually hap…
How the plastics industry shifted responsibility for recycling onto you, the consumer
Australia’s recycling system has been lurching from one crisis to another for decades. Soft-plastic schemes are collaps…
Navigating the New Normal in Fleet Operations: A Raw Look at 2025’s Industry Shifts
The Year of Reckoning for Fleet Management 2025 isn’t just another year for fleet operators. It’s the year where everythi…
Even if heads roll at Optus, we may not know much about their executive payouts
Optus has promised its staff will be held accountable for September’s Triple Zero outage – but only after “…
RBA keeps interest rates on hold, leaving borrowers looking further ahead for relief
As expected, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has kept the cash rate steady at 3.6%. Its board unanimously agreed it was b…
Bali powers Aussie retailers for Christmas
With holiday sales set to surge, Australia’s biggest brands are increasingly routing customer calls nearshore, with Bali …

Traditions of Rural Bali at Villa Sabana
A Privileged Insight into the Traditions of Rural Bali at Villa Sabana Situated in the traditional village of Pererenan near Canggu, Villa Sabana is peacefully secluded in a semi-rural setting where…

Understanding the Importance of Property Valuation Services in Darwin
Introduction Darwin’s property market is known for its unique blend of residential, commercial, and rural investments. With constant changes in market demand, infrastructure development, and lifestyle shifts, understanding the real value…

Australia is leaving thousands of international graduates in visa limbo, and it’s about to get worse
Many international students come to Australia with the hope of staying permanently.But our latest report, Graduates in limbo: International student visa pathways after graduation, shows that the rights Australia grants…
Our analysis of wealth trends suggests Australia’s middle class may be ‘shrinking’
Adwo/ShutterstockThere are growing concerns about wealth inequality in Australia and what it means for people’s ability to get ahead. For many, home ownership has become a pipe dream. Huge numbers…
PR MAVEN TOM ESTEY TALKS CAREER AND MORE
How’d you get into PR? I was writing for a local newspaper in Boston and Singer/Songwriter/Author and Actress Gloria Loring was coming to the City in concert to promote her new…

Driving smarter: how car subscription models are redefining mobility and financial flexibility

The world of mobility is changing fast, and car ownership is no longer the default. Across Australia, professionals and businesses alike are seeki...

The Future of Wealth Technology

“You shouldn’t need a large account balance to experience real-time investing. Technology should make that kind of access universal.” For decades...

Thryv wins national accolade at 2025 Australian Service Excellence Awards

Thryv® (NASDAQ: THRY), Australia’s provider of the leading small business marketing and sales software platform, announced that Greg Nicolle, G...

pay.com.au unveils first-of-its-kind FX rewards feature, becoming the most flexible rewards solution for Aussie businesses

pay.com.au, the end-to-end payments and rewards platform, today announced the launch of International Payments, Australia’s first foreign exchange...

Yellow Canary partners with Celery to bring pre-payroll assurance technology to Australia

Wage underpayment headlines continue to put pressure on employers of all sizes, revealing how costly payroll mistakes can be for small and medium bu...

Brennan Bolsters Leadership to Accelerate Next Growth Chapter

In a move to further embed cybersecurity at the heart of its business strategy and deliver sovereign secure-by-design solutions for its customers, A...