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U.S. NEWS Saturday 12 May 2018

Few teeth in Trump’s prescription to reduce drug prices

would “seek input” on do- $497 per person spent in “It’s hard to know why Ger-
ing away with drug rebates the United Kingdom, which many or France or Australia
in the Medicare system to has a nationalized health would agree to something
encourage more direct care system. Trump’s like that,” said Professor
discounts. He gave no speech singled out foreign Jack Hoadley of George-
timeframe for more con- governments that “extort town University’s Health
crete steps. America has unreasonably low prices Policy Institute.
the highest drug prices in from U.S. drugmakers” us- In the U.S., Medicare is
the world. The U.S. spent ing price controls and said the largest purchaser of
$1,162 per person on pre- U.S. trade representatives prescription drugs, cover-
scription drugs in 2015, ac- would prioritize the issue in ing 60 million seniors and
cording to the Organiza- trade deals. But experts are Americans with disabilities,
tion for Economic Coop- skeptical the U.S. can pres- but it is barred by law from
eration and Development. sure foreign governments directly negotiating lower
That’s more than twice the to pay more for drugs. prices with drugmakers.q

President Donald Trump walks to the Oval Office with Health
and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar after an event about
prescription drug prices with in the Rose Garden of the White
House in Washington, Friday, May 11, 2018.
Associated Press
Continued from Front ority for Trump and Con-
gress, according to recent
“This weak plan abandons polling by the Kaiser Fam-
the millions of hard-working ily Foundation. As a candi-
families struggling with the date, Trump railed against
crisis of surging drug pric- the pharmaceutical in-
es,” said Democratic Lead- dustry. But as president he
er Nancy Pelosi, in a state- has shied away from major
ment. Pharmaceutical changes and has staffed
investors and analysts ex- his administration with ap-
pressed relief after the an- pointees who have deep
nouncement, and shares ties to the industry. They
of most top drugmakers include Health Secretary
rose Friday afternoon, in- Alex Azar, a former top ex-
cluding Pfizer, Johnson & ecutive at Eli Lilly and Co.,
Johnson and Eli Lilly. “Trump who joined Trump for Fri-
had a choice today: to day’s announcement.
seek disruptive fundamen- Azar and other Trump offi-
tal reform or to embrace cials have hinted for weeks
more incremental steps,” that the plan would, in
wrote Terry Haines, a finan- part, “dismantle” the con-
cial analyst, in an invest- voluted system of rebates
ment note. “Trump chose between drugmakers and
the incremental over the the health care middle-
disruptive.” Some parts of men known as pharmacy
the plan were previously benefit managers, which
proposed in the president’s negotiate price conces-
budget proposal sent to sions for insurers, employers
Congress, including pro- and other large customers.
viding free generic drugs Trump called out those
to low-income seniors and companies in his speech:
sharing rebates from drug- “Our plan will end the dis-
makers with Medicare pa- honest double-dealing
tients. Other parts could be that allows the middleman
implemented directly by to pocket rebates and
the administration. discounts that should be
A majority of Americans passed onto consumers
say passing laws to bring and patients,” Trump said.
down prescription drug Azar later told reporters
prices should be a top pri- that the administration