# 075 - Shortages, Pricing, Mastering New Skills, and Building Deep Understanding with Ben Locwin

- Show: [Let's Combinate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate)
- Published: 2023-03-08
- Length: 33m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letscombinate/episodes/075---Shortages--Pricing--Mastering-New-Skills--and-Building-Deep-Understanding-with-Ben-Locwin-e1vsq04

## Summary

Ben Locwin, Executive SME at Black Diamond Networks, discusses the economic drivers of FDA drug shortages, arguing that pricing and demand elasticity are more critical than manufacturing failures. He highlights how high-cost therapies like cell treatments face different shortage dynamics than low-margin generics, citing specific examples like Ozempic and Adderall. Locwin also outlines his methodology for mastering new regulatory and scientific subjects, emphasizing deep research and the importance of identifying 'strings' that haven't been pulled yet in industry analysis.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=0) Introduction: Subi Seday and Ben Locwin
- [1:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=110) FDA Drug Shortages Report and Root Causes
- [3:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=212) Pricing, Elasticity, and Specific Shortages (Ozempic, Adderall)
- [7:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=445) Incentives for Generic Manufacturers and Vaccine Margins
- [10:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=608) Cost Inflation, Development Costs, and Public Perception
- [14:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=868) Generic Pricing Equilibrium and Insurance Actuarial Models
- [19:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=1183) Information Asymmetry in Pharma and Insurance
- [21:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=1293) Contextualizing Shortages: Epidemiology and Device Alternatives
- [25:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-03-08-075-shortages-pricing-mastering-new-skills-and-building-deep-understanding-with#t=1524) Methodology for Mastering New Skills and Deep Understanding

## Topics

- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Black Diamond Networks (company)
- FDA (other)
- Ozempic (product)
- Wegovy (product)
- Mounjaro (product)
- Adderall (product)
- Daraprim (product)
- Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs (company)
- Center for the Study of Drug Development (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [HIBT Lab! Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company: Mark Cuban](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-16-hibt-lab-mark-cuban-cost-plus-drug-company-mark-cuban) (How I Built This)
- [174: The Economy, Labor Market, and M&A Landscape: Paying Attention to What Really Matters with Alex Chausovsky](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-02-27-174-the-economy-labor-market-and-m-a-landscape-paying-attention-to-what-really-m) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Planning for the Long Haul with Supply Chain and Labor w/ Rob Tracy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-10-19-planning-for-the-long-haul-with-supply-chain-and-labor-w-rob-tracy) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Advice Line with Serial Entrepreneur Mark Cuban](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-29-advice-line-with-serial-entrepreneur-mark-cuban) (How I Built This)
- [Why Demand is so High for Regulatory & Quality Jobs (and should you take advantage?)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2021-05-12-why-demand-is-so-high-for-regulatory-quality-jobs-and-should-you-take-advantage) (Global Medical Device Podcast)

## Citing this page

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