Biomedical
Affordable Biologics for All
Joel Lexchin
Peer Reviewed
Abstract
To paraphrase something that Mark Twain is alleged to have said, “Everybody talks about drug prices, but nobody does anything about them.” The last part of the paraphrase is not quite accurate, but to date, none of the major federal proposals to lower drug prices have been enacted, and state legislation, such as the California Preserving Access to Affordable Drugs Act, is under legal challenge from the pharmaceutical industry. Especially hard hit by high prices are uninsured patients who pay the list price. Cost-related treatment nonadherence in low-income US patients was almost 25% according to the results of the Commonwealth Fund 2014 International Health Policy Survey of Older Adults.
Key Questions and Answers
1. What issue does this article address?
The article addresses the high cost of biologics, which impact patients, especially those uninsured or on Medicare, and discusses possible solutions to make biologics more affordable.
2. Why are biologic drug prices rising?
Biologic drug prices are rising due to factors like corporate profit maximization, high initial pricing based on competitors, and limited market competition, even as costs for development are not significantly higher than those of small-molecule drugs.
3. How can biosimilars contribute to affordability?
Biosimilars, which are similar to biologics but cheaper, could help reduce costs. However, uptake has been slow in the U.S. due to barriers like misinformation about safety and the lack of support for switching to biosimilars.
4. What actions are recommended to reduce biologic prices?
Key actions include direct price negotiations by Medicare, mandatory substitution of biosimilars, and increased transparency from pharmaceutical companies regarding their research and development costs.
