Former CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt summed up the insulin crisis in eight numbers:
3
6
21
39
275
4,000 – 6,000
30 million
Read it all here, and welcome to the Week in Review in prescription drug pricing!
1. The Price is Not Right
- A coalition of attorneys general from more than 40 states is suing generic drug makers for price collusion in one of the biggest alleged industry-wide price fixing schemes in U.S history. — (CBS 60 Minutes)
2. #GlaxoSmithLies
- GlaxoSmithKline has relied on a handful of abusive tactics to keep profit margins high while raising prices. In return, patients with asthma who need blockbusters like Advair are in dire straits. — (Patients For Affordable Drugs)
3. You Get a Yacht!
- Health care CEOs made $2.6 billion last year. The highest salary went to a pharma executive. — (Axios)
4. All the Excuses
- Research and development is often the go-to defense when pharma is questioned on mile-high prices, but a new study says it is nothing but spin. — (The Fiscal Times)
5. It Has to End
- We need legislation to stop deals for delay and patent thickets, AbbVie’s monopolistic bread and butter. — (STAT)