In September 2021, the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) released its plan to lower drug prices. Unfortunately, for consumers and patients, the report contained grim statistics that highlighted the cost of drugs in this country and the medical insecurity these prices impose. HHS estimates that each year, “Americans spend more than $1,500 per […]
Health
Townhall: Price Controls Will Not Lower Drug Prices
58 million Americans are not able to afford the drugs they need, and 34 million adults know someone who died because they could not afford medications. Earlier this month the House Ways & Means Committee endorsed H.R. 3, a proposal that would set prescription drug price controls as one way to pay for the massive $3.5 […]
ACI Sends a Letter to Congress on Reducing Patient Drug Prices
Today, the American Consumer Institute (ACI) send a letter to the Senate and House Leadership highlighting keys ways for Congress to lower drug prices for patients. Among ACI’s suggestions were the streamlining of regulations that impede market entry for generic and biosimilar drugs. In addition to increasing price competition, the letter recommends requiring Pharmacy Benefit […]
Inside Sources: Waiving TRIPS Won’t Boost Global Vaccinations
The Administration is considering waiving the intellectual property rights of the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, the same drug companies that risked billions to rush and test vaccines to the reach consumers. The argument for waiving these rights is that it will, supposedly, enable more consumers around the globe to get immunized. This commentary shows that waiving […]
Inside Sources: Ending Surprise Medical Bills
Surprise medical bills occur when out-of-network provider fees exceed what health insurance plans are willing to cover – the difference resulting in unexpected out-of-pocket expenses for patients. Between 2014 and 2017, it is estimated the average surprise medical bill could be anywhere from $220 to $628. The problem is particularly pronounced in emergency room visits and emergency surgeries […]
Speedier Process Needed to Get Generic Drugs to Market
Americans pay around $1,200 for prescription medication each year, well above patients in Canada, Europe, or Australia. In 2020 alone, Americans spent $358.7 billion on prescription drugs. These high costs force millions to skip doses of life-saving medicines and leave patients facing unnecessarily adverse health outcomes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should seek to […]
San Francisco Shows Why DC’s Flavor Ban Will Fail
According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), which monitors health-related behaviors that cause death among youth, San Francisco’s ban on flavored tobacco products was associated with increased smoking among high school students. On Tuesday, June 29, 2021, a divided District of Columbia (DC) Council followed San Francisco’s lead and passed a bill prohibiting […]
The Hill: Dangerous Hand Sanitizers Need Immediate FDA Attention
Responding to pandemic panic, consumers rushed to stores to arm themselves with hand sanitizing products. This soaring demand prompted the FDA to lower standards for the production of alcohol-based hand sanitizer products, a move that has subsequently resulted in a list of over 200 hand sanitizer products deemed dangerous for consumer health. With trusted brands back on store […]
Letter to the FDA: Remove Unsafe Hand Sanitizers From the Market
Dr. Theresa Michele: The American Consumer Institute (ACI) was founded with the mission to promote consumer welfare by improving the understanding and impact that public policies and regulations have on consumers in a free market. It is with this mission in mind that we are writing to you today to inform you of a serious […]
ACI Joins Coalition Letter in Support of Biosimilar Competition
Today, ACI joined over two dozen groups in sending a letter to Congress in support of legislation that would increase competition for biologic drugs as a means to lower drug prices for patients. On behalf of millions of patients, providers, and taxpayers, we strongly support promoting the use of affordable and safe biosimilars across the […]