America is rightfully outraged when patients can’t afford the medicines they need. The drug industry stands accused of charging too much. Many proposed solutions, including drug price controls, threaten to defund innovation but also distract the public from the real problem, which lies in the unraveling of the biotech social contract – the implicit agreement between the biopharmaceutical industry and American society. The role of insurance and the value of what should be a celebrated national resource - the growing mountain of generic drugs - are overlooked and yet form the foundation of a workable solution.
The Great American Drug Deal examines the healthcare landscape through the lens of this contract, including the government's role in inventing drugs, direct-to-consumer advertising, the opioid crisis, the price-jacking of old drugs, and the impact on America of lower drug costs in other countries. Most importantly, this book describes concrete, actionable reforms under which patients will be able to afford their treatments and society will continue to reap the benefits of medical innovation.
The Great American Drug Deal was released on January 20, 2020.