Having four children with health conditions that need medical care and treatment regularly, I understand how overwhelming prescription drug prices and medical bills become. I know I am not the only one. Utah patients have been struggling with the out-of-control price of prescription drugs for a long time. But, despite the escalating crisis of affordability, brand name manufacturers are back to “business as usual,” hiking prescription drug prices to start the new year.
In just one year alone, 44% of Utah residents stopped taking a prescription drug as a result of the cost. Over five years, big pharma hiked prices on prescription drugs in Utah by an average of 58%, while the average annual income rose just 8%.
Brand name drugmakers can get away with this outrageous pricing behavior, in part, because there is a lack of transparency around the industry’s pricing practices. Big pharma can repeatedly hike prices without being held fully accountable by policymakers and the public.
Utah patients deserve open and honest drug pricing. That’s why I urge lawmakers in Salt Lake City to support the Pharmaceutical Entity Transparency Act in the upcoming legislative session.
In 2017, California passed a similar measure. When that law took effect, several drugmakers canceled or reduced planned price hikes. The success of the California legislation has led a total of 16 states to adopt similar measures boosting prescription drug transparency, including Oregon, Texas and Nevada.
Utahns can’t get left behind. We need legislation to hold big pharma accountable and lower drug prices now.
Jimie Guzman
Erda, Tooele County
from Deseret News https://ift.tt/2GS3qkd
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario