Economic Justice

We Need To End Government-Granted Patent Monopolies

Dean Baker / Beat the Press Oct 23, 2024 In the absence of patents, it would be rare that a drug would sell for more than $30 a prescription. Dig deeper ( 8 Min. Read )

Opinion

America’s Thousand Percent Prescription Drug Tariff

Dean Baker / Beat the Press Sep 17, 2024 Import taxes have nothing on drug patents that raise prices 100-fold. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Economic Justice

Big Pharma Dems Are Standing in the Way of Lower Drug Prices

Helen Santoro / The Lever Mar 18, 2024 As Medicare drug-price negotiations take shape, Democrats in the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry want to limit the number of medicines regulators can target. Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

Economic Justice

A Peek at Big Pharma’s Anti-Competitive Playbook

Elisabeth Rosenthal / KFF Health News Aug 22, 2023 A peek at big pharma’s playbook that leaves many Americans unable to afford necessary medication. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Health & Wellness

Americans with Health Insurance Still Can’t Afford Many Treatments

Mark Kreidler / Capital & Main Aug 1, 2023 Health insurance CEOs pocket millions while Americans citizens with insurance forgo treatment because they can’t pay the out-of-pocket. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Economic Justice

Government to Consider Alternatives to Patent Monopoly Financing of Drug Development

Dean Baker / Center for Economic and Policy Research Jul 21, 2023 Patent monopoly financing lies at the heart of an unequal healthcare system—the government has agreed to consider alternatives. Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

Editorial Cartoons

No Affordable Drugs

Monte Wolverton Jun 19, 2023 Dig deeper

Economic Justice

Sanders-Led Panel Takes Big Pharma to Task

Jessica Corbett / Common Dreams Jun 16, 2023 Chaired by Bernie Sanders, the Senate HELP committee has released a report about the inequities of Big Pharma. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Doctors Prescribe More of a Drug if Big Pharma Pays Them

Hannah Fresques / ProPublica Dec 22, 2019 Pharmaceutical companies have paid doctors billions of dollars for consulting, promotional talks, meals and more. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

Sanders Blasts 2020 Democrats for Defending Health Insurance Industry

Common Dreams Oct 16, 2019 At the Democratic debate, the progressive senator castigates his rivals for repeating right-wing talking points against Medicare for All. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Nancy Pelosi Unveils Ambitious Plan to Lower Drug Prices

RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR / The Associated Press Sep 19, 2019 The House Speaker's proposal incorporates ideas from the Trump administration and from Republican and Democratic senators. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

States Bring Price-Fixing Suit Against Generic Drug Makers

STEVE LeBLANC and MARTIN CRUTSINGER / The Associated Press May 11, 2019 One top state official says the evidence shows the companies ran a "multi-year conspiracy" and "perpetrated a multibillion-dollar fraud." Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )