Arthur Allen

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Humira is made by the biomedical giant Abbvie; its logo is shown here on a billboard in Jakarta, Indonesia. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Save billions or stick with Humira? Drug brokers steer Americans to the costly choice

Challengers to Humira could save the health care system $9 billion and herald savings from the whole class of drugs

Sep 21

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Leqembi, the first drug purporting to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, is likely to cost the U.S. health care system billions annually even as it remains out of reach for many of the low-income seniors most likely to suffer from dementia. | COURTESY EISAI CO.

The real costs of the new Alzheimer’s drug, most of which will fall to taxpayers

In addition to the company’s $26,500 annual price tag for the drug, the treatments it requires could cost U.S. taxpayers $82,500 per patient per year

Aug 2

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SHUTTERSTOCK

Why the next big hope for Alzheimer’s might not help most Black patients

This week the FDA is expected to approve what many scientists and doctors believe is the first drug to show promise of slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease

Jul 6

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SHUTTERSTOCK

Drugmakers are abandoning cheap generics, and now US cancer patients can’t get meds

Drug shortages are forcing doctors and patients to contemplate untested rationing plans for breast, cervical, bladder, ovarian, lung, testicular and other cancers

Jun 22

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AREK SOCHA/PIXABAY

A more aggressive FTC is targeting drug mergers and industry middlemen

The new strategy is part of the Biden administration’s push for lower drug prices at the pharmacy counter

May 23

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U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. | LOUIS VELAZQUEZ/UNSPLASH

PBMs, the brokers who control drug prices, finally get Washington’s attention

Sen. Bernie Sanders’ health committee grilled a panel of PBM and pharmaceutical executives Wednesday in preparation for a vote on PBM legislation, expected Thursday

May 11

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SHUTTERSTOCK

The drug company that prospered without creating any drugs

As state and federal governments grapple with reining in prescription drug prices, one company’s approach shows how difficult this may be

Apr 13

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U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont speaking at a town meeting at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 18, 2015. | GAGE SKIDMORE/CC BY-SA 2.0

Sen. Sanders shows fire, seeks modest goals, in his debut drug hearing as health chair

With little authority over drug prices, the platform Sanders commands is essentially a bully pulpit

Mar 28

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MOHAMED HASSAN/PIXABAY

Why does insulin cost so much? Big Pharma isn’t the only player driving prices

CVS Health, UnitedHealthcare and Cigna’s pharmacy benefit managers have aggressively played the insulin makers off one another, fattening their own accounts

Mar 9