Researchers say they have found a prescription for rising prices for cancer drugs, but drug regulators must decide if they want to take it.
A new study examined the value of a cancer drug up for approval and found that its price should be linked to the effectiveness of the product. But the federal drug approval process does not evaluate a product's value, which researchers say needs to change to address high prices.
"Essentially the industry is able to put any price that they like on a drug," said Dr. Daniel Goldstein, lead author of the study and a fellow in hematology and oncology at Emory University.
The finding comes amid growing concern among Americans about high drug prices, as indicated by several polls.
While the debate at times has centered on the high cost of specialty drugs such as a cure for hepatitis C, cancer drugs also have been heavily scrutinized.
Cancer drugs that keep a patient alive for a short amount of time more than current therapies can sometimes run past $100,000 a year in cost, according to a letter from more than 100 cancer experts issued earlier this year.
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4 comments:
Drug prices are so high because we pay for the world's R&D. Very expensive drugs here are often sold for pennies on the dollar abroad.
That's not the only reason, 1:22.
The money being spent on stuff to bribe physicians is staggering.
Drug reps buy lunch for the doctor's whole staff on a regular basis.
And, of course there's national ad buys where they try to sell prescription drugs to the public.. trying to create demand.
The pharmaceutical industry is probably the bigge$$$t one on the planet.
I don't think they can bribe docs as easily as they once could. Years ago, offices would tell me straight up that I couldn't get face time with the doc or practice manager for my services without feeding the whole office. That doesn't happen any longer.
Quite often, the ONLY recipients of the high priced drugs are Medicaid recipients. People that pay taxes can't afford some of these $500K/month drugs. I know because the only patients my wife has for these patients are on Medicaid.
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