60% of Americans Are Worried They Won't Be Able to Afford Specialty Drugs

In a survey by the Morning Consult, 60 percent of respondents said they were concerned with the high price of specialty drugs and afraid they would not be able to afford them in the future.

Recently, Gilead Sciences has received Congressional scrutiny for its $1,000 a pill price tag on hepatitis C drug Sovaldi. The typical 12-week drug regimen of Sovaldi costs $84,000, but some patients require the drug for a longer period of time.

Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to Gilead seeking an explanation for Sovaldi's hefty price tag. "Given the impact Sovaldi's cost will have on Medicare, Medicaid and other federal spending, we need a better understanding of how your company arrived at the price for this drug," the senators wrote in the letter.

The Morning Consult survey revealed 82 percent of Americans believe charging $1,000 a pill is "unacceptable."

The poll was sponsored by the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing. The survey was conducted from July 9 to July 11, among a national sample of likely voters.

More Articles on Sovaldi:

FDA Approves Second Drug in Two Weeks to Treat Hepatitis C 
Hepatitis C Drug Costs More Than 1K a Pill  
Sovaldi Drug Sales Could Reach $9B in First Year