The Real Reasons Why Prescription Medicines are Expensive
Prescription medicines are expensive.
The large pharmaceutical companies justify this by claiming their high prices pay for research.
Is that really where most of the money we spend on drugs goes?Is it to fund research?I don't think so.
A big portion of the price we pay for our medications goes toward advertising.
When I was growing up, prescription medications were not advertised.
Direct to the consumer advertising only became legal 10 years ago.
Prior to that, the medical doctor would recommend and prescribe medications based on a patient's needs.
Today the pharmaceutical companies are spending Billions of dollars advertising on TV and other media touting their products.
Yes, the pharmaceutical companies are making recommendations for our medical condition with TV and magazine ads.
They make these recommendations to us with out knowing a thing about us.
The ad sells us on their products and since we can't buy them without a doctor's prescription, the ads close with this statement, "Ask you doctor about "whatever drug" they are pitching.
I don't know about you, but I don't think we should suggest to our doctor what medications we should take.
That's why the doctor went to medical school; to diagnose and prescribe treatments for us.
Diagnosing and recommending medications should not be the role of the pharmaceutical companies.
If they stopped this outrageous spending on advertising our prescription costs could be a lot less.
And we would most likely have a prescription more tailored to our medical need.
Yes, the doctors are being influenced by these ads too.
Another big chunk of the money we spend on prescription drugs pays for the legal expenses of the pharmaceutical companies.
They have lawyers that write a long list of "Disclaimers" in their ads.
Do you think the pharmaceutical companies tell us all of the horrible things that can happen to us as a result of using their product (including death) because they are concerned about us and want to keep us safe?I don't think so.
It's to protect them against lawsuits.
Who do you think is paying these expensive lawyers?We are every time we fill a prescription.
I always smile when I read the "Information Sheet" that usually comes with every prescription.
It lists the possible side effects and then states, "Your doctor believes the benefits from using this drug out weigh the risks.
"An ad agency wrote that and some lawyer approved or revised it.
The lawyer fees are only a part of the legal expenses we are paying for with our prescription dollars.
What about the lawsuits these expert lawyers could not win?The money we spend on our prescriptions helps fund the multi-million judgments levied against the pharmaceutical companies.
Do you think the pharmaceutical companies are surprised when someone dies or becomes seriously ill, or even deformed as a result of using their product?I don't think so.
The pharmaceutical companies know the risks.
They actually hire actuaries to weigh the potential profit of a particular drug against the cost of lawsuits.
It's all about the money.
I am not saying the pharmaceutical companies are evil or intentionally criminal.
I'm not saying that they are not interested in providing products that will be beneficial to our health.
I'm simply saying that the pharmaceutical companies are also in business to make a profit.
It just seems to me they have their priorities out of whack.
I used to think that the FDA would prevent the distribution of drugs that could do us significant harm.
I don't think that is the case anymore.
I now believe the FDA has been too relaxed and easy going with the pharmaceutical companies.
Remember, the pharmaceutical companies also hire lobbyists.
Do you think the lobbyists attempt and maybe succeed in influencing the FDA?I think so.
Let me use Merck to illustrate what I mean.
The dangers of using Vioxx were well known by the FDA prior to Vioxx being marketed to us.
Internal documents were distributed stating the risks of using Vioxx.
These dangers included, arrhythmia, blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, heart attacks, and strokes to name just a few.
Even with this information, the FDA allowed Merck to release Vioxx based on the performance of previously released so called miracle drugs.
Do you think Merck, with the help of lobbyists, influenced the FDA?Who do you think paid these lobbyists? I am not against prescription drugs or the pharmaceutical companies.
I just resent paying for their advertising and being told the high cost is needed to fund research.
They made money before they were allowed to advertise directly to the consumer.
Now they are spending billions of dollars trying to get us to convince our doctors what drugs we should be prescribed.
I also resent the way they determine whether or not to market a particular high risk drug.
They use a "profit vs.
legal expense" model instead of a "benefit vs.
product risk" model.
I resent being told, "Your doctor believes the benefits from using this drug out weigh the risks.
"What they really mean is, "We believe that the profit we make from this drug out weigh the risks to you.
"And that's the truth as I see it.
Remember the pharmaceutical companies hire actuaries to weigh the potential profit of a particular drug against the cost of lawsuits.
The large pharmaceutical companies justify this by claiming their high prices pay for research.
Is that really where most of the money we spend on drugs goes?Is it to fund research?I don't think so.
A big portion of the price we pay for our medications goes toward advertising.
When I was growing up, prescription medications were not advertised.
Direct to the consumer advertising only became legal 10 years ago.
Prior to that, the medical doctor would recommend and prescribe medications based on a patient's needs.
Today the pharmaceutical companies are spending Billions of dollars advertising on TV and other media touting their products.
Yes, the pharmaceutical companies are making recommendations for our medical condition with TV and magazine ads.
They make these recommendations to us with out knowing a thing about us.
The ad sells us on their products and since we can't buy them without a doctor's prescription, the ads close with this statement, "Ask you doctor about "whatever drug" they are pitching.
I don't know about you, but I don't think we should suggest to our doctor what medications we should take.
That's why the doctor went to medical school; to diagnose and prescribe treatments for us.
Diagnosing and recommending medications should not be the role of the pharmaceutical companies.
If they stopped this outrageous spending on advertising our prescription costs could be a lot less.
And we would most likely have a prescription more tailored to our medical need.
Yes, the doctors are being influenced by these ads too.
Another big chunk of the money we spend on prescription drugs pays for the legal expenses of the pharmaceutical companies.
They have lawyers that write a long list of "Disclaimers" in their ads.
Do you think the pharmaceutical companies tell us all of the horrible things that can happen to us as a result of using their product (including death) because they are concerned about us and want to keep us safe?I don't think so.
It's to protect them against lawsuits.
Who do you think is paying these expensive lawyers?We are every time we fill a prescription.
I always smile when I read the "Information Sheet" that usually comes with every prescription.
It lists the possible side effects and then states, "Your doctor believes the benefits from using this drug out weigh the risks.
"An ad agency wrote that and some lawyer approved or revised it.
The lawyer fees are only a part of the legal expenses we are paying for with our prescription dollars.
What about the lawsuits these expert lawyers could not win?The money we spend on our prescriptions helps fund the multi-million judgments levied against the pharmaceutical companies.
Do you think the pharmaceutical companies are surprised when someone dies or becomes seriously ill, or even deformed as a result of using their product?I don't think so.
The pharmaceutical companies know the risks.
They actually hire actuaries to weigh the potential profit of a particular drug against the cost of lawsuits.
It's all about the money.
I am not saying the pharmaceutical companies are evil or intentionally criminal.
I'm not saying that they are not interested in providing products that will be beneficial to our health.
I'm simply saying that the pharmaceutical companies are also in business to make a profit.
It just seems to me they have their priorities out of whack.
I used to think that the FDA would prevent the distribution of drugs that could do us significant harm.
I don't think that is the case anymore.
I now believe the FDA has been too relaxed and easy going with the pharmaceutical companies.
Remember, the pharmaceutical companies also hire lobbyists.
Do you think the lobbyists attempt and maybe succeed in influencing the FDA?I think so.
Let me use Merck to illustrate what I mean.
The dangers of using Vioxx were well known by the FDA prior to Vioxx being marketed to us.
Internal documents were distributed stating the risks of using Vioxx.
These dangers included, arrhythmia, blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, heart attacks, and strokes to name just a few.
Even with this information, the FDA allowed Merck to release Vioxx based on the performance of previously released so called miracle drugs.
Do you think Merck, with the help of lobbyists, influenced the FDA?Who do you think paid these lobbyists? I am not against prescription drugs or the pharmaceutical companies.
I just resent paying for their advertising and being told the high cost is needed to fund research.
They made money before they were allowed to advertise directly to the consumer.
Now they are spending billions of dollars trying to get us to convince our doctors what drugs we should be prescribed.
I also resent the way they determine whether or not to market a particular high risk drug.
They use a "profit vs.
legal expense" model instead of a "benefit vs.
product risk" model.
I resent being told, "Your doctor believes the benefits from using this drug out weigh the risks.
"What they really mean is, "We believe that the profit we make from this drug out weigh the risks to you.
"And that's the truth as I see it.
Remember the pharmaceutical companies hire actuaries to weigh the potential profit of a particular drug against the cost of lawsuits.
