It’s tempting to think that legalizing drug importation would immediately give U.S. consumers access to medicines at the prices available in other developed countries. In reality, however, the Safe Importation Action Plan would expose American consumers to significant health risks while achieving meager cost reductions, if any at all. Visit Real Clear Health to lean […]
drugs
Townhall: Importing Drugs from Canada Would Kill Innovation and Could Cost Lives
In partnership with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently proposed that certain pharmaceuticals should be cleared for import from Canada. Although the proposal seeks to lower prices for consumers, it poses critical unintended risks to both American businesses and patients. To read why, visit Townhall.
Open the Canadian Border for Drug Imports, and Dangerous Counterfeits will Follow
In an effort to reverse the continuing rise of prescription drug prices, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) are mulling the idea of allowing drug imports from Canada. Their so-called “Safe Importation Action Plan,” however, is a misnomer—the policy could expose countless Americans to potentially deadly […]
Biosimilars: The Grand Experiment
Biosimilars are the grand experiment. If the biosimilar experiment succeeds, competition will lead to lower prices and increase access for patients. However, if biosimilar competition does not advance the result may be price controls. This could decrease the incentive to innovate and lead to fewer new drugs being developed. Biologics are among the highest priced […]
ACI Joins Coalition Opposing Inflation Caps
Today, ACI released a coalition letter to Congress in opposition to creating an inflationary rebate penalty in Medicare Part D. You can download and print the letter here.
REAL CLEAR HEALTH: Price Controls Would Stifle Innovation, Reduce Access
Americans are right to be concerned about the high out-of-pocket costs of pharmaceuticals. But targeting America’s free enterprise system is the wrong solution. Putting bureaucrats abroad in charge of deciding how our drug market operates may save some money now, but it’ll hurt consumers in the long-run. This op-ed, published in Real Clear Health, explains […]
Counterfeits Kill: Stronger Law Enforcement Needed
When one thinks of counterfeit goods, it can conjure up images of customers being duped into buying inferior quality designer bags or other fashion knockoffs. However, when it comes to the manufacturing, distribution and sale of counterfeit medications, the outcomes can be much more serious and life threatening. Most consumers probably don’t realize that counterfeit […]
ACI Releases Paper on the Effects of Adopting Foreign Price Controls on Drugs
Washington, D.C. — Today, The American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research (ACI), a non-profit consumer education and research organization, released a white paper, “How International Reference Pricing for Prescription Drugs Would Hurt American Consumers.” Recently, some lawmakers and other federal officials have promoted international reference pricing as a way to reduce drug costs for […]
Inside Sources: Pharmacy Benefit Managers Pad Their Profits at Your Expense
The harmful and anti-competitive business practices that PBMs thrive on are made possible by the industry’s secrecy and lack of transparency. Plan sponsors and beneficiaries should be given more information about how their insurance plans are managed and what rates are negotiated. Pharmacies should be allowed, and even encouraged, to point customers to lower-cost alternatives […]
Prescription Drugs That Your Insurer Objects to Paying For
Consumers have a love-hate relationship with prescription drugs. We love the wonderful new drugs that treat and sometimes cure conditions that were once life-threatening, but we hate the sometimes-unaffordable prices of the latest drugs. Consumers who have prescription insurance coverage are somewhat insulated from the full price of drugs, but insurers and pharmacy benefit managers […]