U.S. pharmaceuticals raising prices

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=f68cc4362f96711e

U.S. pharmaceuticals raising prices
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Big News Network.com Tuesday 25th January, 2005 (UPI)

Prescription drug prices in the United States are rising, the result of competition from generics and the coming Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Of the 50 biggest-selling medicines in the drug industry, 31 had price increases since the November elections through Jan. 19, reported Delta Marketing Dynamics, a price-tracking firm in East Syracuse, N.Y. In the same period a year earlier, only 22 of the top 50 drugs had price hikes.

A number of big-selling drugs, including Pfizer's antibiotic Zithromax, are expected to lose patent protection this year, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday
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This is getting ridiculous!!! Competition raises prices???

[GetTheRightVote]

1. This is the * world, so nice of the Repubs to take from the poor & elderly

:kick:

[China_cat]

3. Not just the elderly

I have no insurance. I can't afford the migraine meds any more as it is at almost $50 per dose. (And it only comes in multiples of 6...you can't get just 1)

[eleonora]

5. this is just ridiculous

I have no insurance either. Can't pay the premiums, can't pay for medication either if I need it. What's the solution to this, really? How can we fight this?

[tridim]

2. So does this mean that "generic" manufacturers are making a killing now?

Generic manufacturers aren't saints, they're made by corporations just like the name brands. Who owns these generic corporations BTW?

[China_cat]

4. Other big pharmaceutical companies.

Competition for the ones that put out the name brand.

[JohnnyRingo]

6. They wanted to do it before the election...But held off for fear

that Americans would vote against their "freedoms".

"Of the 50 biggest-selling medicines in the drug industry, 31 had price increases since the November elections through Jan. 19"

[teakee]

7. They raised the prices right before the Prescription Drug cards came out

I am disabled, and when I finally qualified for Medicare and looked for the 'easy to use':shrug: discount cards, I found the the meds I take (I had no insurance) all went up anywhere from $20 to $35 a script. This was before I got my card, so everyone got charged for the cards. People with no insurance, paid the greatest price of all.

Big PHARMA sure does love President Bush! And since the FDA, Big PHARMA and Washington, DC are in bed together---everyone loses (or in some cases, dies.)

You never hear Bush talk about how he plans to pay for the drug plan either. This is far a greater crisis then SS.

[rodeodance]

8. sickening isn't it. I feel so helpless at times and this is one of them!!

[struggle4progress]

14. He's paying for it with Medicaid cuts.

[xchrom]

9. with friends like they have in the white house

and in the senate and the house, why not?
party like it's 1999!:crazy:

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. What?? Since when does competition raise prices??? Is the

capitalist model all wrong?

[rooboy]

11. Yeah, that line jumped out at me too. n/t

[BiggJawn]

12. Shrub has "Political Capital", and they intend to "earn" it...

Government of, by, and most importantly, FOR the Corporation....

[One_Life_To_Give]

13. Poorly written article/explanation

This is getting ridiculous!!! Competition raises prices???

A assume what the author meant to say was. Declining margins on some drugs resulting from competition. Cause the manufacturers to increase the margins on drugs still protected by patents. In order to keep the same level of margin overall.