Are drug R&D costs exaggerated for effect? Researchers peg the median price of pivotal success at an economical $19M

One of the most frequently cited stats in the biotech biz revolves around the claim that it can take more than a decade and $1 billion-plus to get a drug to market. For lobbyists, it’s a chance to underscore the high cost of R&D that goes into a new treatment — and help consumers and payers swallow the bitter pill that comes with big prices attached to the therapies that pass muster at the FDA.