- More Than 80 Percent of Patient Groups Accept Drug Industry Funds, Study Shows New York Times by Katie Thomas— The nation's largest patient advocacy groups are on the front lines of some of the biggest health care debates, from the soaring costs of prescription drugs to whether new medicines are being approved quickly enough. But while their voices carry weight because they represent the interests of sick patients, a new study has found that more than 80 percent of them accept funding from drug and medical-device companies.
- Drugmakers Pledge Restraint, but Prices Will Still Soar AP by Linda A. Johnson—Several big drugmakers are trying to quell the furor over high drug prices by revealing more information about their pricing and even pledging to keep a lid on increases. No one should expect to be paying less for medicine anytime soon, experts say, though the drugmakers' response to public pressure may help slow the rise in prices for some drugs. The latest drugmaker move came Monday, when Johnson & Johnson, the world's biggest maker of health care products, issued its first public report on price increases for its drugs.