eMagazine September 2022

OUR PEOPLE,
OUR MISSION
Global Health
eMagazine
September 2022
Health Disparities
Within Our Borders
Section Editor: Ritesh Vidhun
Undergraduate junior at Tufts University
studying public health and economics on the
pre-medical track
Written by Ritesh Vidhun
Highlights
Spotlight
Reflections
Health Disparities Within Our
Borders
Nursing Division
Among the Letters
Our Beautiful Planet
Art to Remember
Who We Can Be
Article of he Month
Videos of the Month
Global Health Family
Calendar
Photo News
Resources
Skip a Meal for Your Meds? The
Increasingly Detrimental Situation
of Pharmaceutical Drug Costs in the
United States
Part 2/2
Imaculada Hernandez, PharmD, PhD, assistant professor at the University of
Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, found that in the case of brand-name drugs, rising
prices were driven by manufacturers increasing prices of medications that are
already in the market rather than [by] the entry of new products,” (Hernandez in
Blumberg 2019). For example, a brand of insulin called Lantus increased in price by
almost 50 percent despite being on the market for over a decade. Yet the average
net price for Lantus has actually decreased in recent years. Pharmaceutical drug
manufacturers are increasing the prices of essential drugs, not only because of
research and development costs but also the freedom and lack of competition
that exists in the American market. These developments have large ramifications
on all individuals, not only those who are uninsured. Hernandez explains how
“rising drug prices affect uninsured or underinsured patients, patients with highdeductible
plans, those in the deductible or doughnut hole phase of their plans,
the government as a payer, and all Americans in the form of higher premiums”
(Blumberg 2019). There exists a series of problems that arise from increasing drug
costs which impact a much larger spectrum of people than one may assume. This
issue causes many Americans to avoid taking their much-needed medications
due to financial reasons. In fact, a KFF study discovered that uninsured individuals
are nearly three times as likely to skip their prescription due to cost (Lopes 2019).
Furthermore, even “14 percent of insured Americans reported that, in the past year,
they did not fill a prescription or skipped doses of medicine because of the cost,
2 percent in the U.K. and 10 percent in Canada, the nation with the highest rate
after the U.S.” (Sarnak et al. 2017). The financial burden of pharmaceutical drugs
has reached a point where people have to skip their treatments and suffer through
illnesses because of financial restrictions.
It is clear that increasing drug costs is an issue that severely impacts many
Americans and one that needs to be solved immediately. It has tremendous effects
on U.S. healthcare and prevents many from obtaining the medications that they so
desperately need. Whether you have insurance or not, the rising costs of medications
negatively affect everyone. Being able to understand the developments that have
led to this situation is necessary before considering possible solutions to gain a
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