FDA Detects Cancer Causing Chemicals In Blood Pressure Medicines

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The Food & Drug Administration, FDA, has announced that after recalling more than 12 million bottles of high blood pressure meds over the last five years, it expects more may be tainted with a chemical called nitrosamines.  Although they are found in trace amounts in anything from water, cured and grilled meats, dairy products and vegetables, in higher doses they can be dangerous.   “The difference is with drugs it’s totally avoidable,†Dr. Stephen Hecht, a University of Minnesota professor of cancer prevention, told USA Today.  FDA officials have said the agency expects drug manufacturers who have identified a potential risk to complete testing and report changes that they have made by October 1.

Pressured By Medicare, Drug Companies Moderate Price Increases

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Drug companies raised list prices of 983 prescription drugs by an average of 5.6% in January, lower than inflation and lower than it has raised them in prior years.  A report put out by 46brooklyn Research, a nonprofit drug-price analytics group, said that Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG and Eli Lilly & Company are among the companies that took the price increases.  After several years of taking double digit prices on many drugs, the companies have moderated price increases, in part due to pressure from the government.  “The industry doesn’t want to stick its neck out and make itself a target of politicians, particularly given the lessened support in the Republican Party for the industry compared to 5 or 10 years ago,†David Risinger, an SVB Securities analyst, told the Wall Street Journal.

FDA On The Offensive Regarding New Alzheimer’s Drug

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The Food and Drug Administration’s Commissioner Robert Califf has defended the agency’s approval of the new Alzheimer’s drug called Aduhelm.  This follows an investigation by House Democrats which found close cooperation between the drug’s sponsors and regulators.  The findings were made by the Oversight and Reform Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee which found an unusual number of meetings between Biogen Inc. and the FDA.  The FDA also co-authored with the company a briefing document presented to outside advisors, which is very unusual.  Unfortunately, the drug was pulled off the market because Medicare refused to cover the expensive drug.

Negative Drug Interactions Can Happen Even With Over The Counter Drugs


Many people don’t realize it, but you can have a negative drug interaction even with over-the-counter drugs.  Ginkgo biloba and garlic can increase bleeding risks if you take anticlotting drugs.  And St. John’s wort can reduce the effectiveness of warfarin and certain statins, channel blockers and digoxin (AARP Bulletin June Issue, page 22).  Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can increase side effects of many medications, including certain statins, blood pressure and heart-rhythm drugs, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Alcohol can increase drowsiness and raise the risks of overdoses when used with many drugs for anxiety, seizures or depression, according to the National Institutes of Health.  Talk to your doctor about these issues!

Prescription Drugs’ List Price Up 6.6% In Just 3 Weeks


Drug makers typically raise their prices in the beginning of the year and 2022 has been no exception.  A new study found that about 150 drug makers raised prices on 866 products in the U.S. during the first three weeks of the year by 6.6%.  That’s slightly less than the overall inflation rate of 7% over the past year, but there still may be more drug price hikes on the way.  Therefore, it’s possible that this could be a record year for drug price increase.  Some of the numbers have been eye popping, such as the 536% increase Exelan Pharmaceuticals implemented for its generic high blood pressure treatment Lisinopril.

Great News For Medicare Recipients In New Senate Bill


Many had criticized Congress for working on a sweeping bill that, at the end of the day, did not include relief for consumers over the high cost of prescription drugs.  That has been quickly remedied.  A deal was reached today which adds to the $1.85 trillion social-policy and climate bill a provision which gives Medicare the power to negotiate the price of some drugs, penalize drug companies for raising prices faster than inflation, and cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors at $2,000 per year.  It also creates a $35 out-of-pocket monthly maximum for insulin.  “This deal will directly reduce out-of-pocket drug spending for millions of patients,†said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.).

AARP Urges You To Fight For Lower Prescription Prices

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The American Association for Retired Persons, or AARP, has launched a campaign #ShowYourReceipts to put pressure on Congress to lower drug prices.  Americans pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world!  Here is how you can participate:

  1. Take a copy of your prescription invoices;
  2. Tag your federal law makers; and
  3. Add #ShowYourRecipts to your post.

Health & Human Services Secretary Announces Plan To Reduce Prescription Drug Prices

A table with many different types of pills on it.


Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra outlined the Biden Administration’s plan to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.  The 29-page plan supports legislation that allows the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on the costliest drugs each year, and pass those savings on to insurers.  It would also reduce regulatory barriers in order to get new drugs approved by the FDA and incentivize drug makers to develop medications that are already on the market in the U.S. in order to reduce prices.  Per-capita prescription drug spending in the U.S. far exceeds that of other high-income countries.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/09/biden-administration-unveils-plans-to-lower-prescription-drug-costs-in-the-us.html

New Prescription Drugs Are Coming With A Hefty Price : By Derek Baine


More and more prescription drugs are coming to market with outrageous wholesale prices and many have wondered whether Medicare and private insurance companies will cover them.  They got their answer on Friday for the new Alzheimer’s drug from Biogen when The Department of Veterans Affairs said they won’t cover Aduhelm.  Medicare has yet to weigh in.  The VA cited the risks of causing series side effects and a lack of evidence that it improves cognitive function in denying coverage.  By law, the VA has greater leeway than other government health programs like Medicare and Medicaid to deny coverage of medicines it deems to be of poor value.  A group of VA doctors concluded last month that more than 150K veteran beneficiaries diagnosed with Alzheimer’s could receive the drug.  However, it would come at a cost of $4 billion annually.

Biden Lays Out Plan To Cut Drug Prices


President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order that aims at lowering drug prices, and it actually has teeth.  One provision is that the government can now take legal action against companies that collude to try and keep generic drugs from coming to market.  Another allows states and Indian tribes to import drugs from Canada.  He also directed the FDA’s parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, to issue proposed rules within 120 days to allow hearing aides to be sold over the counter.  The four largest makers of hearing aides control 84% of the market.  Because they are so expensive, only 14% of the 48 million Americans suffering from hearing loss use the devices.  Still, some criticized the order because it doesn’t give Medicare the power to directly negotiate prices with drug companies.  “Negotiation of prices is the biggest and best solution,†to lowering drug prices, said Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research, a nonprofit based in Washington D.C.