86 million
Americans
Maybe even you,
have prediabetes.
person-ABOUT-TO-
FACT-CHECK-THIS-FACT.
CORE
DEMENTIA KIllS 1.5 MIllION PEOPlE GlOBAllY E ACH YE AR. SO DOES TUBERCUlOSIS. BUT ABOUT
300 TRE ATMENTS FOR Al ZHEIMER'S AND ONlY 80 FOR TB WERE UNDER DE VElOPMENT IN 2017, NOTES
A REPORT BY THE SCHAEFFER CENTER FOR HE AlTH POlICY & ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSIT Y OF
SOUTHERN CAlIFORNIA HIGHlIGHTING THE lINK BE T WEEN DRUG SPENDING AND INNOVATION.
M O R E D E AT H S IN higher-income countries are related to
dementia, whereas TB is far more common in lower-income
nations, the report notes, and countries focus research dollars
on their priorities. In addition, expected fi nancial returns aff ect
investment decisions, according to the authors. That is a
double-edged sword: While TB research may go begging, most
HIV patients using antiretroviral therapies live in Africa — even
though the therapies were developed in wea lthier countries.
The burden of much of that development falls on the U.S., the
writers argue, because Americans pay vastly more for drugs than
people in poor or even other wealthy countries, creating profi ts
that fund development. An analysis by the researchers suggests
raising drug prices in Europe by 20 percent would yield more drug
discovery and fi nancial gains on both sides of the Atlantic.
"If other wealthy countries shouldered more of the burden for
medical innovation, both American and European patients would
benefi t," the authors write.
Even poorer countries would benefit by paying more as
their incomes rise and they confront increases in conditions
such as diabetes and dementia: "Spending a bit more now to
ensure their populations have access to eff ective treatment is in
everyone's interest."
n
Innovation Tied to Drug Costs
BY STEVE BARRETT
STUDY:
M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C l E V E l A N D /A K R O N / C A N T O N
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