The Texas Anesthesia Stealth Monopoly

The $2.5 Billion Question in Pharmaceutical Antitrust

In this episode, we examine the economic foundations of reverse-payment antitrust law through the lens of the Takeda verdict. The Supreme Court’s *Actavis* decision shifted the focus from patent validity to payment size—but left unresolved how courts should measure what counts as “large.” We explore the circularity embedded in the framework, the role of damages models, and why jury decisions may ultimately substitute for missing economic methods. Read the full article and the graphic analysis: https://blog.econworks.com/p/the-885-million-question-actavis?r=562wri [https://blog.econworks.com/p/the-885-million-question-actavis?r=562wri] Explore more visual economics content: EconWorks [https://econworks.com] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@EconWorks-d3e] Substack [http://blog.econworks.com] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.econworks.com/subscribe [https://blog.econworks.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Google’s Ad Tech Empire Under the Microscope: AI Antitrust Critique

In this episode, we talk about the complexities of digital advertising in the US. DOJ v. Google ad tech case. Google’s integrated platform dominates ad servers, exchanges, and networks, and critics have accused it of excluding rivals. The AI looks at the main expert arguments about auctions, vertical integration, and market power and compares the criticism to the trial evidence. In this episode we unpack important but technical concepts like header bidding and multi-homing and put them in plain English. We also take a new look at one of the biggest ongoing antitrust battles in tech. Read the full article and the graphic analysis: https://blog.econworks.com/p/ai-v-judge-episode-4-united-states?r=562wri [https://blog.econworks.com/p/ai-v-judge-episode-4-united-states?r=562wri] Explore more visual economics content: EconWorks [https://econworks.com] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@EconWorks-d3e] Substack [http://blog.econworks.com] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.econworks.com/subscribe [https://blog.econworks.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

When Does Sharing Data Become the Same Thing as Fixing Prices?

This episode explores the DOJ’s settlement with Agri Stats and the growing antitrust debate surrounding information sharing, algorithmic pricing, and AI coordination. The discussion covers: * why collusion is unstable, * how monitoring systems sustain coordination, * the role of AI pricing algorithms, *and why future antitrust cases may become increasingly difficult to detect and prove. Read the full article and the graphic analysis: https://blog.econworks.com/p/when-does-sharing-data-become-the?r=562wri [https://blog.econworks.com/p/when-does-sharing-data-become-the?r=562wri] Explore more visual economics content: EconWorks [https://econworks.com] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@EconWorks-d3e] Substack [http://blog.econworks.com] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.econworks.com/subscribe [https://blog.econworks.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Handbag Merger That Sparked Debate: AI Critiques FTC v. Tapestry

This episode turns to the FTC’s attempt to block the Tapestry (Coach) and Capri (Michael Kors, Kate Spade) merger. The central fight was over how to define the relevant market—a narrow “accessible luxury” segment or something much broader? Using AI, we critique the expert report’s data choices, market framing, and economic analysis, then see how it stacked up against the court’s real-world assessment. This episode explores brand differentiation, consumer behavior, and the challenges of merger review in consumer goods. It’s a fascinating case that reveals a lot about current FTC strategy. Read the full article and the graphic analysis: Explore more visual economics content: EconWorks [https://econworks.com] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@EconWorks-d3e] Substack [http://blog.econworks.com] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.econworks.com/subscribe [https://blog.econworks.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Texas Anesthesia Stealth Monopoly

This episode of EconWorks looks at one of the most important recent tests of serial acquisition enforcement: the FTC's lawsuit against U.S. Anesthesia Partners. The conversation looks at: * Rollups in healthcare * Definition of the market, * Leverage in negotiations, * Consolidation economics, * and the challenge of reestablishing competitiveness once markets have already changed due to past acquisitions. Significant legal and economic issues remain unsolved because the parties settled the case before the trial. Read the full article and graphic analysis: Explore more visual economics content: EconWorks [https://econworks.com] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@EconWorks-d3e] Substack [http://blog.econworks.com] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.econworks.com/subscribe [https://blog.econworks.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]