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Trump signs executive order setting 30-day deadline for drugmakers to lower prescription drug costs (apnews.com)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca to c/usnews@beehaw.org

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There's so much to detest about the president of the United States, but setting his targets on the pharmaceutical industry might actually turn out to be beneficial for citizens. Maybe.

I'm sure this executive order, like most of his, will be challenged (and rightfully so). His motivation is clearly focused on the US budget rather than benefiting citizens struggling with healthcare costs. However, I wonder if this might actually get the ball rolling with some much much needed reform. One can hope?

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[–] theangriestbird@beehaw.org 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The order calls on the health department, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to broker new price tags for drugs over the next month. If deals are not reached, Kennedy will be tasked with developing a new rule that ties the price the U.S. pays for medications to lower prices paid by other countries.

I'm struggling to understand how this would play out. CMS (Medicare/Medicaid) just says "this is what we're paying now" and the pharmacies just accept that? I can't help but feel like this will set off a chain reaction that will end in poor people unable to get their needed medications, as drug manufacturers withhold their product or something because this EO doesn't have strong enough legal footing. Nothing Trump loves more than inflicting suffering on poor people.

[–] GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Precisely my thought as well. In the long run, the order alone won't amount to anything. It needs to be followed up. Not simply by other executive orders, but by other necessary reforms.

I guess I'm mostly interested and hopeful in the possible reform portion. The industry simply can't be bludgeoned into compliance as he thinks he can achieve with everything. It will take careful planning, reorganization, and, gasp, additional controls and regulations.