Regulatory approaches have to fit societal preferences.

• Position: Consumer Affairs

Conventional wisdom holds this syllogism about prescription drugs: they cost much more in the United States than in Europe; the price differential is due to European governments' desire to keep down costs to their health-care spending; and the long-term effect is driving corporate research and development on new drugs to the United States, where companies can charge higher prices and earn big profits for innovative products.

On examination, it proves hard to demonstrate a systematic pattern...