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The National Community Pharmacists Association was contacted by ABC News for a “Nightline” segment and article on generic drug price hikes.
In a recent blog post, NCPA said ABC reached out to the association to get community pharmacy’s take on the generic pricing issue for the report, titled “With Generic Prescription Drug Prices Surging, Families Are Feeling the Squeeze”.
The report illustrates the impact of generic drug price jumps on patients. For example, one patient learned from her local pharmacy that the cost per dose for Actiq, a generic for pain relief, has risen from 50 cents to $37.49 over five years. Also, a pharmacist in New York City said a tube of topical allergy cream used to treat rashes and other skin conditions went from costing about $5 a tube to more than $200 a tube.
ABC News also cited a survey released last month by NCPA finding that 80% of pharmacists saw generic drug prices climb 26 times or more over the previous six months, and 93% said the situation has become worse since 2013.
“Every month that goes by … we see a half a dozen added to that list,” NCPA president-elected Brad Arthur told ABC News. “And pharmacists’ hands are tied even as they are trying to help customers fill prescriptions below cost.”
The report, NCPA said, also noted that the price spikes are closing the previously wide price gap between brand-name and generic drugs that was fueled by patents expiring, impacting health costs, and that there’s a lack of transparency about why prices of certain generics have surged. ABC also said two federal agencies — the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services — are investigating the prices jumps.
