ICYMI May 5, 2015
The New York Times: Runaway Drug Prices
How companies set prices of specialty drugs for these and other complex diseases, like cancer and AIDS, has been a mystery to the patients who need them.”
“The drug and biotech companies contend that high prices are justified to cover the large costs of bringing a drug to market and to compensate for the large number of drugs that fail in late stages of costly clinical trials. But it appears that many companies raise prices arbitrarily…”
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Washington Examiner: House struggles with reform bill as drug costs skyrocket
“A recent report found that prices for specialty drugs that treat chronic conditions such as hepatitis C and cancer often outpace the growth of inflation and are rising for no reason. The pro-healthcare reform group National Coalition on Health Care wrote the report.”
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Boston Globe: Cystic fibrosis drug could bring millions to executives Boston Globe (May 2, 2015)
“The juxtaposition of high drug prices and the amount going to the corporate executives is extraordinary,” said John Rother, president of the National Coalition on Health Care, which represents 85 consumer groups, health care providers, and insurers.
“This is an extreme case. It’s coming at the expense of patients, and it deserves a lot of scrutiny . . . Retention bonuses are appropriate in some cases, but this indicates to me a lack of social responsibility,” Rother said.”