RunawayRx's Dose of Reality: Do You Know Where Your Drugs Come From?

May 25, 2018

RunawayRx's Dose of Reality series helps keep the public up-to-date on pharma's latest drug pricing schemes and major happenings around the industry. Our most recent edition highlights a deep dive into the pharmaceutical supply chain, the Food and Drug Administration's recently published "naughty list", and much more.

When Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus decided to pose the question, "Where do prescription drugs come from?", he was faced with a less than satisfying answer: we really don't know. Lazarus writes about the black box that is the pharmaceutical industry:

"...If Americans knew where their pills, or much of what's in them, come from, they'd be shocked by the absurdly high prices being charged. That's why the pharmaceutical industry is keeping such information to itself."

Read the full article here.

KHN: Drugmakers blamed for blocking generics have jacked up prices and cost U.S. billions

"Makers of brand-name drugs called out by the Trump administration for potentially stalling generic competition have hiked their prices by double-digit percentages since 2012 and cost Medicare and Medicaid nearly $12 billion in 2016, a Kaiser Health News analysis has found...

"The analysis shows that drug companies that may have engaged in what FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb called 'shenanigans' to delay the entrance of cheaper competitors onto the market have indeed raised prices and cost taxpayers more money over time.

"The FDA listed more than 50 drugs whose manufacturers have withheld or refused to sell samples, and cited 164 inquiries for help obtaining them."

Read more here .

ABC News: FDA names drugmakers accused of blocking cheaper generics

" U.S. drug regulators are publicizing information on brand-name drugmakers that use what government officials call 'gaming tactics' to block cheaper copycat versions.

"The Food and Drug Administration's new webpage names the makers of more than 50 brand-name drugs, many carrying five- or six-figure annual price tags, who are under scrutiny. The agency also lists inquiries it has received from generic drugmakers requesting FDA's help in getting access to the brand-name drugs though not all the complaints have been verified...

"'We hope that this increased transparency will help reduce unnecessary hurdles to generic drug development and approval,' the FDA said in a statement.

"Delayed launches of generic versions of drugs whose patents have expired usually push higher costs onto patients, employers and taxpayers. "