Trump against high medicinal prices
Trump wants to force pharmaceutical companies at cheaper prices
US President Trump has been calling for cheaper medication prices in his country for a long time. In May he signed a corresponding decree – and now puts pressure on pharmaceutical companies.
In his efforts for significantly lower medication prices, US President Donald Trump takes on large pharmaceutical companies. Within 60 days, manufacturers such as Eli Lilly, Novartis and Pfizer should ensure that low earners benefit more from a best price guarantee for medication and that new medicines are automatically offered at the lowest price. In addition, additional revenue achieved abroad should flow back to American patients and taxpayers, as Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt explained to journalists. In letters to 17 large pharmaceutical companies, he set a deadline until September 29th.
Trump is cheaper medication prices an important topic: he signed a corresponding decree in mid -May. So far there has been no central government regulation in the United States. The pharmaceutical industry largely decides how many medicines cost, while the state only has a limited influence on it. In Germany, however, there are regulations.
Trump already unsuccessful with idea
During his first term, Trump had already unsuccessfully tried to link the reimbursement prices for medication to the lowest price of wealthy comparison countries – this should reduce prices in the USA. The proposal was never implemented, there was legal and political resistance.
After the announcement of Leavitts on Thursday, it was unclear how exactly the best price guarantee for new medicines should work. A CNBC journalist noted that the “Most Favored Nation” price design – that’s the name of the best price guarantee – is based on prices abroad. The problem: new medication is usually introduced first on the US market, so that there is no comparison for lower prices.
dpa
Source: Stern
