A dying patient records a message to a drug company CEO. Pharma middlemen royally rip us off. States revolt over drug costs.
Welcome to the week in review in prescription drug pricing!
1. “I’m dying and you could save me right now.”
Cystic fibrosis patient Lora Moser faced $15,000 co-pays for a drug she fundraised to create. So she sent a YouTube message to the CEO of drugmaker Vertex from her hospital bed. — (KXAN)
2. A patient with Parkinson’s gets real about drug costs
Stahis Panagides, who lives with Parkinson’s, sat down with AARP to discuss difficulties affording 23 different medications every day. His family’s medical costs, including prescription drugs, add up to $23,000 a year. — (AARP)
3. Ripped off
Here’s why a patient who needed a stroke medication paid a $285 copay for a $40 drug. — (PBS)
4. Show us the receipts!
The Trump administration says its drug blueprint has already lowered prices, but we aren’t seeing it yet. Here’s why: — (The Washington Examiner)
5. Moving on up
Twenty-four states have passed 37 bills to help lower the cost of painfully high drug prices. As states rush to rein in prescription costs, Big Pharma keeps fighting to maintain the status quo. — (NYT)