- Prescription Price Crisis? 28 Million Americans See Spike In Drug Prices NBC News by Ali Velshi, Allison Girvin, Ben Popken and Michael Cappetta—At least 28 million Americans have experienced a spike in the cost of their prescription medications in the past 12 months. And for 4 million of them, the price was so high they walked away without their prescription altogether, according to a new Consumer Reports survey. "We are nearing a crisis point with what Americans can afford for medication, and it's scary," concluded Consumer Reports. "And honestly, as far as we can tell, there are no brakes on it right now. Congress may have a few things up its sleeve, but we're still waiting."
- Cancer Drug Prices Are So High That Doctors Will Test Cutting Doses Washington Post by Laurie McGinley—A group of prominent cancer doctors is planning a novel assault on high drug costs, using clinical trials to show that many oncology medications could be taken at lower doses or for shorter periods without hurting their effectiveness. As Exhibit A, they point to their pilot study involving a widely prescribed drug for advanced prostate cancer. Cutting the standard dose of Zytiga by three-quarters was as effective as taking the full amount — as long as patients swallowed the medication with a low-fat breakfast rather than on an empty stomach, as directed by the label.
- Trump Administration Prepares a Drug Pricing Executive Order, Sources Say Bloomberg News by Anna Edney and Justin Sink—President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing an executive order aimed at lowering U.S. drug costs, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that could come within weeks on a campaign issue that has been largely left out of Republican legislative efforts in Congress. Trump sought recommendations from the nation’s health agencies on reducing medication costs, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told senators last week.