Realizing the “Grand Bargain” of Fair Drug Access and Pricing

April 15, 2022

Balancing the needs and means of patients with the interests of providers, payers, and drugmakers through fair drug prices is fraught with challenges, seen and unseen. Achieving affordable drug prices for patients but sufficiently rewards stakeholders and encourages new investments is deemed a “grand bargain.” In a new Health Affairs Opinion blog, Sarah Edmond explores competing financial and health interests and ways to hopefully reach said “grand bargain.”

Acording to Edmond, “The health care system could reward responsible, fair pricing by the pharmaceutical industry with streamlined, fair access by insurance companies. This seemingly simple idea, though, has had a hard time taking root. Understanding why, and understanding the dynamics that thwart efforts to improve the status quo, can help elucidate a path for patients to get access to the care they need while preserving sufficient incentives for life sciences companies to continue to innovate.”