Trump craves big action on drug prices to take to the campaign trail

[DonViejo]

By Paige Winfield Cunningham
July 3 at 7:54 AM

There may be a modest slowdown this year in the growth of drug prices, but it’s nowhere near the seismic shift President Trump has called for. And that seems to be irking the president to no end.

Much of the president’s frustration has been borne by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, a former drug executive who until very recently pushed back on proposals to allow the importation of lower-cost drugs from Canada and give the government the tools to directly negotiate lower drug prices in the Medicare program, my Washington Post colleagues Yasmeen Abutaleb, Josh Dawsey and Laurie McGinley report.

But now, under intense pressure, Azar has reversed his long-standing opposition to at least one of those ideas: drug importation, an idea typically embraced by Democrats and dismissed by Republicans and the drug industry.

“Inspired by the president’s passion, Secretary Azar has been pushing FDA to go even bigger and broader on importation,” a senior administration official told my colleagues, although the official declined to detail specific policy changes.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-health-202/2019/07/03/the-health-202-trump-craves-big-action-on-drug-prices-to-take-to-the-campaign-trail/5d1b9aa21ad2e552a21d5228/

[nykym]

1. Just the usual

smoke and mirrors.
Nothing will be done and drug prices will continue to skyrocket.
Follow the money.

[beachbum bob]

2. this is a crack that Pelosi should be attacking the GOP with, she whould pass

legislation in the HOuse that is to trumps LIKING and McConnel take the hot from trump in not getting a vote on it. An awesome opportunity to create strife AND perhaps a benefit to the American people the house and senate democrats can campaign on


but alas, we just don't see this leadership and strategy coming

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Seems like this is something that he could have been working on

for the past two years instead of trying repeal ACA.

[woodsprite]

4. I wouldn't be surprised if he's guaranteeing his pharma buddies

that this will only be temporary, until he cinches the election.

[dhill926]

6. yep...

[area51]

5. "... pushed back on proposals to allow the importation of lower-cost drugs ...."

Why import drugs? Just fscking negotiate down the drug prices like every 1st world country does. Our tax dollars have already paid the R&D on the drugs.

[MineralMan]

7. Start with Insulin.

It's immoral that a medicine many people need to stay alive is priced based on its profitability. In the USA, it costs 10 times more than in Canada. Fix that, Trump, first. Then start on other lifesaving medications that are being priced astronomically in the United State for the profit of pharmaceutical companies.