Prescription drug costs have been a hot topic in recent years, and for good reason. Many people rely on medications to maintain their health, and the rising cost of prescription drugs can be a significant financial burden. While generic drugs are often considered more affordable, some may be surprised that even these medications can come with hefty price tags.

(STAT NEWS)

  • At the start and halfway points of each year, many pharmaceutical companies raise drug prices to bolster revenue and reportedly fund new research.
  • A new STAT analysis of mid-year price hikes has found that, despite these new requirements, drug prices are on the rise. Indeed, on July 1, drugmakers raised the wholesale price on over 123 drugs in what’s the largest number of mid-year price hikes since 2013.
  • The median price increase for these drugs was 3.4%, just above the one-year inflation rate of 3.2%. So, over half of these medications could potentially face rebates, including 10 Pfizer drugs whose prices increased by 10%, such as long-acting penicillin Bicillin and blood thinner Fragmin.

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease, yet there is division in its causes and treatment options. Leqembi, in a clinical trial, slowed cognitive decline by 27 percent over 18 months compared with a placebo. That represented a five-month delay in progression — dismissed as negligible by some but hailed as a milestone by others for a mainly untreatable malady.