Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: We're Already Seeing Results From Trump's Drug Blueprint To Lower Costs
The Hill: High Hopes For President Trump’s Drug Pricing Plan
In May, the President gave his first major speech on lowering drug prices, making good on his campaign promise to go after drug makers to get lower prices for consumers. Following the speech, the White House released the Administration’s blueprint for lowering drug prices. Two months later, some of the details of the plan are now starting to come into focus and we are seeing results. (Michael Steele, 7/26)
Stat: When Modest Is Actually Excessive: AstraZeneca Spins Its Price Hikes
During an earnings conference call, the AstraZeneca chief executive disclosed the company would not raise prices in the U.S. for the rest of year. Other drug makers have taken the same step in response to pressure from the Trump administration, but he insisted this was “our plan … all along.” Given the timing, this is questionable. But then Soriot made an even more curious remark. He maintained AstraZeneca was sensitive to the problem by raising wholesale prices earlier this year by “very, very modest” amounts, “between 1 and 3 percent” which, he said, was “in line with inflation.” (Ed Silverman, 7/26)
CNBC: FAIR Drug Pricing Act Will Force Drug Cos To Justify Drastic Price Hikes
In today’s polarized political environment, it’s hard to find any issue that an Illinois Democrat and a Florida Republican can agree on. Here’s one: the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs are a scourge that must be dealt with as soon as possible. Drug companies are making record profits and at the same time raising the prices of life-saving prescription drugs more and more every day. What’s worse, drug companies have no legal obligation to justify or explain the massive spikes in drug prices. (Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Rep. Francis Rooney, 7/30)
WBUR: On Drug Prices, Trump Is (Finally) On To Something
I come to praise Donald Trump, not to bury him. Shocking as it sounds, the president actually had a good idea recently. He may let Americans get cheaper, foreign-made pharmaceuticals in certain circumstances. Trump being Trump, I must qualify my praise. The administration also shot down Massachusetts’ request for authority to lower drug prices, a worthy experiment that should have been given a try. (Rich Barlow, 7/26)
