The American Medical Association passed three drug pricing policies during its annual meeting last week in Chicago, reports Chicago Tribune.
The association will urge drugmakers to adopt the following three practices:
- Include suggested retail prices in direct-to-consumer drug ads
- Give advanced warning of any prices increase surpassing 10 percent annually
- Highlight price increases for the opioid overdose antidote naloxone
"Taken together, these policies would bring much needed transparency to drug pricing and provide a clear benefit to consumers struggling with exorbitant costs," Barbara McAneny, MD, president-elect of the AMA's Chicago-based chapter, said in a Thursday news release. "There seems to be no logic — or warning — to these price spikes."
Holly Campbell, a spokeswoman for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America — a major drug industry lobby group — opposes the AMA's recommendations.
"The proposal to include the list price of a medicine on an ad would provide no meaningful benefit to patients," Ms. Campbell told Chicago Tribune Thursday via email. "Price comparison websites already exist to help consumers compare and look for the best retail prices, the price the consumer actually pays, for their medications at local pharmacies. Disclosure of list price information on an advertisement would not help patients gain meaningful access to their medicines."
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