High Drug Costs in the US

 One of the topics that comes to mind when discussing healthcare in the US is high drug costs. Many of us have experience searching for copay cards or manufacturer discounts with patients in the retail setting so they can afford their medications. Of course, some of these high prices are understandable when a patient is taking a new, brand-name drug. As we have learned in class, R&D for a new drug is extremely expensive, and some cost is necessary to fund this work. However, there is also a large degree of greed involved on the part of drug companies, seen especially when they manipulate patent law to extend market exclusivity and prevent generic medications from being made. 

Insulin is one drug whose high cost cannot be justified by innovation or the need to recoup costs. The drug has been around for over 100 years and is required to keep patients with type 1 diabetes alive. For patients without insurance, a monthly supply can cost hundreds of dollars. Although bills have been passed to cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 per month for medicare patients, there are still many patients who cannot afford their necessary medications. In countries outside of the US, insulin costs much less. For example, in 2018, a standard unit of insulin cost $98 in the US, while an equivalent amount cost $12 in Canada. This is just another example of the American Healthcare System being run like a business, regardless of the harm done to patients in the process.