A recent opinion article published on STAT says the U.S. should conduct in-house value assessments for prescription drugs rather than look to other countries’ prices as proposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The administration last year proposed an international pricing index as a way to contain drug prices under Medicare, though some experts and officials have expressed concerns about what such a model would mean for patient access.
University of Southern California’s William Padula writes that an independent, government-funded organization could be a step in the right direction toward recommending to Medicare drug prices based on value assessments.
“By owning this critical task, we can protect American patients while restraining price hikes domestically,” he writes. “We can also prod other governments to consider how the U.S. values drugs, opening the door for greater cooperation and contributions to innovation.”
To read the full article on STAT, click here.