- Discussion centered on the high price of Gilead’s hepatitis-C drug (Sovaldi) and the broader issue of ultra-expensive biologics, with participants noting that the $84,000 price tag roughly equals the number of patients expected to be cured in the coming year.  
- Participants speculated that pharmaceutical companies quietly settle wrongful-death claims from patients who die while awaiting access, muting public outcry and reducing the visibility of a potential black-market demand signal.  
- The feasibility of a clandestine or “pirate” supply chain for biologics was debated; it was argued that the global underserved population for any single drug is small, but still large enough for a focused operation to profit.  
- Technical conversation turned to monoclonal antibodies such as eculizumab (Soliris, ~$500 k/yr), with consensus that reproducing them is within reach of a modest academic or DIY lab—estimated at <$100 k in materials and labor once basic equipment is in place.  
- Links shared included a Canadian patent on eculizumab (CA 2189015 / US 6,355,245), news coverage of an Australian petition to fund Soliris for a rare-disease patient, and historical articles on NHS drug withdrawals and AIDS drug pricing controversies.