Trump blasts drugmakers, middlemen for high U.S. drug prices

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters



MAY 11, 2018 / 2:31 PM / UPDATED 35 MINUTES AGO

Yasmeen Abutaleb

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday blasted drugmakers and healthcare “middlemen” for making prescription drugs unaffordable for Americans, but healthcare stocks rose as it became clear the administration had avoided taking aggressive and direct measures to cut drug prices.

Trump said his administration would take aim at the “middlemen” in the drug industry who became “very very rich,” an apparent reference to health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. He also said the pharmaceutical industry is making an “absolute fortune” at the expense of American taxpayers.

Foreign governments “extort” unreasonably low prices from U.S. drugmakers, Trump also said in a speech delivered as his health deputies released a series of proposals to address high drug costs. But Zeke Emanuel, an expert on drug pricing and fellow at the Center for American Progress, said on CNN that to bring drug prices down, Trump would need to address drugmakers more directly.

“His rhetoric is taking them on, but the facts are he is not taking them on,” Emanuel said.




Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-drugpricing/trump-blasts-drugmakers-payers-for-high-u-s-drug-prices-idUSKBN1IC2C0?il=0

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Alleged billionaire tongue-lashes greed

He's going to keep upending the economy until the products we need are scarce or unavailable. That will make prices go up.

[Frustratedlady]

2. Is there a hint or..what do they call it, a dog whistle, in there somewhere to the big guys to...

grease his palms for favorable treatment? Now that Cohen's out of business, that would double his take. He has a little time left before the doors slam shut. Right, Donny? Gotta work the con as long as you can.

[genxlib]

3. That's what I thought of when i heard the term Middleman

Anyone else would be more careful with language considering the environment. He just isn't that smart.

[BigmanPigman]

4. Sure, and look at the great, new infrastructure everywhere too!

I will believe it when I see it! Talk is cheap Donald...but that is all you do since YOU are cheap and full of hot air!

[procon]

5. Pay no attention to anything Trump says; whatever it is, he's lying.

Wait. The schmoozing is already underway, and a deal will be made that only screws the consumers while the One Percenters will reap obscene profits off of exploiting the poor, the weak and disabled, the sick and the elderly.

[truthisfreedom]

6. More fecal expulsion from twitler.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Kick (nt)

[flibbitygiblets]

8. Says the crook whose lawyer took $1.2M from a drug company for "information"

and then stiffed them.