Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cost Of Insulin Triples, Driven By More Expensive Synthetic Product
STAT: Insulin Prices Have Skyrocketed, Putting Drug Makers On The Defensive
Here’s a sticking point for diabetics: the cost of insulin more than tripled — from $231 to $736 a year per patient — between 2002 and 2013, according to a new analysis. The increase reflected rising prices for a milliliter of insulin, which climbed 197 percent from $4.34 per to $12.92 during the same period. Meanwhile, the amount of money spent by each patient on other diabetes medications fell 16 percent, to $502 from $600, according to a research letter published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Silverman, 4/5)
KPCC: Concern Over The Rising Cost Of Insulin
The average price of insulin tripled between 2002 and 2013, according to a research letter published today in JAMA, and that has led to higher costs for diabetics. Meanwhile, the cost of noninsulin therapies has trended downward, the researchers found. (Plevin, 4/5)
In Massachusetts, opposition to legislation capping drug prices grows —
The Boston Globe: Bill Sponsor Open To Alternative Options On Drug Costs
The lead sponsor of a controversial Massachusetts bill that would impose price caps on some prescription drugs says backers are considering alternative steps to control costs, a move that comes as opposition to the measure mounts. The legislation would force biopharma companies to justify their prices by disclosing how much they spend on research, manufacturing, and marketing. While the current version of the bill would let a state agency limit the price of especially costly drugs — something not done anywhere in the country — proponents also are weighing other ways “to prevent price gouging,” state Senator Mark C. Montigny said. (Weisman and Dayal McCluskey, 4/6)
