An example of why this is needed.
The Aventis patent on Lantus insulin ran out in 2012. The price has risen to over $300 per vial, mostly in the last year. It's now 2014 and here is the response from ReliOn, a company that produces generic insulins that sell for less than $25 a vial.
ReliOn - Currently, the FDA has not approved a generic Lantus Insulin. Until a manufacturer can produce it, there there is no way we can launch a Relion insulin. We will continue to monitor this and look for ways to save money for our customers.