| 1 | This move mirrors the emergence more than a decade ago of public partnerships with drug companies to tackle a similar market failure: the development of drugs and vaccines for neglected diseases. | |
| 2 | Instead of establishing a national formulary with standard drug prices, the way many countries do, the U.S. government allows private insurance plans to negotiate with drug providers. | |
| 3 | But the pharmacists' monopoly remains - with Mr Sarkozy himself ruling out any change on the ground that pharmacies are not a business but a "public service". |