Posted by Michael Wonder on 26 Nov 2018
Why prescription drug prices have skyrocketed
26 November 2018 - And why the government needs to take action.
The high cost of prescription drugs is on everyone’s agenda. In more than 40 states, pharma-related bills are pending or recently passed. President Trump, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have advanced proposals to bring down prices. Congress passed an anti-gag clause bill, letting pharmacists give more information to patients to help them save on costs.
It is no surprise that public officials, hearing the drumbeat of complaints from the public, are scrambling to get a handle on the problem. Drug prices have risen at an alarming rate in recent years, outpacing all other aspects of health-care spending, including nursing home costs.
