The pharmaceutical sector is often unfairly demonized in the drug pricing debate. Other participants exploit the complex US health care system almost with impunity.

Trying to get out from under the shadow of ongoing investigations into its pricing and questionable business practices, which have led to its shares diving 90% in the past year, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. laid out its strategy for becoming a "new" company. But one analyst questioned whether the changes being made were simply "new paint on the same old shed."

Outgoing Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc.'s CEO Michael Pearson and board member Bill Ackman expressed regret during an April 27 Senate hearing about the price hikes of some of the Canadian firm's drugs and pledged change at the embattled company. Meanwhile, the company in a late-day securities filing disclosed it planned to pay incoming CEO Joseph Papa more than $67m in cash, restricted stock and options, which shocked and angered the Senate committee leaders.