Estimating the Impact of Food and Drug Administration’s Unapproved Drug Initiative on Drug Prices and Sales

Impactful Policy Action to Reduce Drug Costs in Managing Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19

“…Because of these programs and abuses by manufacturers, dramatic escalation of cost and expense for certain older drugs that were once generic continue to occur. 3,4 The most egregious example in the hospital sector over the past decade is the dramatic rise in the cost of vasopressin, a drug that has been around for over 80 years and that is now among the top 25 drugs expenditures in hospitals as of 2019 and has patent protection until 2032. 5 Because of the high use of vasopressin in critically ill COVID-19 patients and the greater than 6000% price increase that has occurred after completing the Unapproved Drugs Initiative process, vasopressin will likely become a top 10 drug expense within the hospital sector by the end of 2020.…”

Medication Shortages: A Matter of National Security—Time for Action

“…Because of these programs and abuses by manufacturers, dramatic escalation of cost and expense for certain older drugs that were once generic continue to occur. 3,4 The most egregious example in the hospital sector over the past decade is the dramatic rise in the cost of vasopressin, a drug that has been around for over 80 years and that is now among the top 25 drugs expenditures in hospitals as of 2019 and has patent protection until 2032. 5 Because of the high use of vasopressin in critically ill COVID-19 patients and the greater than 6000% price increase that has occurred after completing the Unapproved Drugs Initiative process, vasopressin will likely become a top 10 drug expense within the hospital sector by the end of 2020.…”