Why prescription drugs remain unaffordable for many Americans

 

Why prescription drugs remain unaffordable for many Americans    Dear readers,   According to a recent survey by Gallup and West Health, some 75% of Americans say that the price of prescription medicines is among the issues that will influence their vote in the upcoming election. That's not a big surprise if you consider that people in the U.S. spend far more per capita on prescription drugs than people living in other high-income nations — and are far more likely to forgo their prescriptions due to concerns about cost.   "There may be few issues that unite Americans ahead of the 2020 election as do their concerns about the cost of prescription drugs," writes veteran health care reporter Kerry Dooley Young. "For journalists covering health care in the context of the election, it’s important to have a handle on the state of pharmaceutical prices in the United States." With that in mind, Young's comprehensive new explainer addresses five questions about the high cost of medicines: What are the 2020 presidential candidates saying they will do to lower drug prices? Why doesn’t Medicare, the biggest purchaser of drugs, directly negotiate on drug prices? What’s the deal with rebates and discounts? What is the “distinctly American” phenomenon of specialty drugs? And how much does it cost to develop a new medicine anyway?   Elsewhere on Journalist's Resource, in the latest installment of his "Election Beat 2020" series, Thomas E. Patterson encourages journalists to tell their audiences about voter registration deadlines before it's too late. He gets you started by including a list of state deadlines in the body of his column.   "Early closing dates are partly intended to depress the turnout of groups — particularly the poor, racial and ethnic minorities, and newer immigrants — who are less likely to be aware of the deadline," he writes. "And it works. Although other factors are also involved, states with early deadlines have voter turnout rates that are more than 10 percentage points lower than states that employ same-day registration."   Thanks for all you're doing to keep up with this overwhelming news cycle, readers. Stay tuned for next week's newsletter, when we'll be sharing important information about the Electoral College, a tip sheet to help journalists prepare for the challenges this Election Day is sure to bring, and more.   Yours in knowledge, Carmen Nobel, program director of Journalist’s Resource   RESEARCH EXPLAINER   5 questions about drug prices   In this new explainer, veteran health care reporter Kerry Dooley Young answers five key questions about the high cost of prescription medication in the U.S. It's among the issues that likely will influence who voters choose as the next president. "For journalists covering health care in the context of the election, it’s important to have a handle on the state of pharmaceutical prices in the United States," she writes.     Check out our explainer!