Well yea, of course if it's brand name and time-released, and both those properties exist in one preparation concurrently, then the drug company can justify the price, since there is no other preparation that is equally in terms of strength and delivery system. So pretty much they have a monopoly and can charge whatever they want, and if you have broncho or lobar pneumonia and grasping for air, of course, the price doesn't matter. Life is precious and priceless. I've never gotten pneumonia, so I don't know what it feels like. But the way you described it. It sounds scary. Hopefully I will never contract it, but if I do, I will definitely tell the doctor to write me a script of tussionex along with a good antibiotic. Thanx for the insight.