Companies have raised prices on 245 drugs during pandemic, advocacy group says

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Companies have raised prices on 245 drugs during pandemic, advocacy group says
By James Bikales - 06/29/20 05:05 PM EDT


Pharmaceutical companies have raised prices on 245 drugs since the first U.S. coronavirus case was reported on Jan. 20, according to a report released Sunday by an advocacy group.

Sixty-one of the drugs that saw price increases are being used to treat COVID-19, and 30 are in clinical trials, the group Patients for Affordable Drugs said in its report. The price hikes are on par with increases the previous two years.

The report found that 44 inpatient drugs have seen price increases during the pandemic, including 20 drugs commonly used in intensive care units: sedatives, steroids, blood pressure medications and blood thinners.

“It’s outrageous, but not surprising, that against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, drug corporations have continued to raise the prices of drugs critical to keeping Americans healthy and alive,” Patients for Affordable Drugs founder David Mitchell said in a statement.

“Patients are hurting from this pandemic with widespread unemployment, insurance loss, and heightened risk for COVID-19. More than ever we all need to be able to afford our medications,” added Mitchell, who is a cancer patient.

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https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/505115-companies-hiked-prices-on-245-drugs-during-pandemic-advocacy-group-says