Drug Prices Up Sharply This Year

Prices of the most widely used prescription drugs rose sharply in this year's first quarter, just as the new Medicare drug coverage program was going into effect, according to separate studies issued yesterday by two large consumer advocacy groups.

AARP, which represents older Americans, said prices charged by drug makers for brand-name pharmaceuticals jumped 3.9 percent, four times the general inflation rate during the first three months of this year and the largest quarterly price increase in six years.

Price increases for some of the most popular brand-name drugs were much steeper; the sleeping pill Ambien was up 13.3 percent, and the best-selling cholesterol drug, Lipitor, was up 4.7 to 6.5 percent, depending on dosage.

Over all, AARP said, higher prices mean that the cost of providing brand-name drugs to the typical older American, who takes four prescription medicines daily, rose by nearly $240 on average over the 12-month period that ended on March 31.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/business/21drug.html?hp&ex=1150862400&en=51575c1c847e55bd&ei=5094&partner=homepage

You think W might be a republican or what?

I have this great first-person account about how this was brought about.

I will have to take the time to post it one of these days.

This is not a teaser, I am just a glacially slow typist.

i would like to hear it

the prices of RX drugs these days is criminal if you ask me

The only drugs covered are the more expensive, newer drugs, at a cost above what they should be. Our government, dumping our money into the coffers of the pharma cos.

Welcome to the Corporation of America.

I guess that all the money the phamaceutical industry has "donated" to the RNC for services rendered has really paid off.

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.asp?Ind=H04

What?

Oh...sorry. :smoke:

watching the ticker while waiting in line. Lilly was way up compared to GM and others.

But we can just not buy it when we can't afford it.

Our older citizens don't have that choice- they NEED their meds
to actually STAY ALIVE.

The "Greatest Generation" is being ass-raped by BigPharma™...
while the Repub Party waves the flag and laughs all the way to the bank.