Big Pharma will be producing life saving drugs, even if unprofitable because they know that if they dont, they will lose a large portion of their customers...
Think about it. They don't sell $$$$ drugs to healthy people, but largely to elderly patients with health care problems. If they die, how will the drug producers survive?
They are not stupid, Their future, at least in the short term, depends upon keeping these people alive!!!
NYSE certainly seems to think HCQ/A will be effective
Plus, pharma gets a bad rep. My husband is a pharmacist (dealing with specialty meds) and the only patients that pay anything for meds are ones with Medicare because it's illegal by law to offer copay assistance. Humira, Enbrel, Tecfidera, etc. all have copay assistance programs that bring it down to $0-5 for the patients.
How long do companies last if they are unprofitable? (in any business)
Do you want profit, or slow development of new drugs. There is a reason that the US leads the world in new drug/device development. Because it is profitable.
What does it cost to get a new device, or drug to market? How your breath and google this number. R&D, mfg (at least pilot plants), Patents, regulatory clearance, etc all have to be obtained prior to making your first sell. Those sales last until your product comes off patent.