That's the provocative view of Richard Epstein, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School and sometime consultant to the drug industry.

FORBES: Just Say No--to Drug Lawsuits

Dr. Shiffman has served as a consultant to some of the hepatitis C drug developers and has conducted clinical trials of the drugs.

WSJ: Hepatitis C Dilemma: Treat Illness With Interferon Now or Wait?

Information about any unusual infection in a drug user should be given to the local public health consultant who should inform the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health.

BBC: Killer heroin report published

Even worse, according to Barrie James, an industry consultant, no merger or acquisition in the drug industry over the past 30 years has increased the combined firms' market share.

ECONOMIST: Drug mergers

Pain management consultant Dr Chris Wells says ibuprofen is a useful drug that helps about a third of people who take it, and reduces their pain by about 50%.

BBC: Ibuprofen at 50: The love affair with painkillers

Still, Richardson, who participated in clinical trials for Rozerem and has worked as a consultant for Takeda, has high hopes for the drug, which he says is about as good at helping patients sleep as Ambien.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The typical clinical trial model may not be best suited for generating evidence that a drug is safe and effective against diseases where patient enrollment can be difficult and diseases progress slowly and unevenly over a long period of time, according to Steven Grossman, who worked on the original Orphan Drug Act in 1983 and is now a policy and regulatory consultant.

FORBES: Orphan Drugs: 'Rare' Opportunities To Make Money

Professor Dilip Nathwani, consultant physician at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, said the drug would help to fight hospital infections.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Scotland | Drug approved to battle superbug