The US Drug Pricing System is Broken

"The pricing system for drugs in the United States is broken, said David Brennan, executive vice president of the North American division of AstraZeneca, the drug maker with headquarters in the U.K. and Sweden. Trouble is, no one, including the drug companies themselves, has any clear idea how to fix it.

Brennan, who was also appointed to AstraZeneca's board last week, made these remarks at a Wharton healthcare conference in February. Not surprisingly, he doesn't advocate a radical overhaul: Such a move could hurt the productivity of an industry that has contributed substantially to advances in human health and longevity during the last three decades, he said. What's needed is realistic cooperation among all the players -- drug makers, insurers, consumers, doctors, hospitals and employers."

Read more in this Kowledge@Wharton article.