OnSiteClinics.Org

Another Reason Why Your Prescription Drug Costs are So High

If you are a patient, or an administrative manager of a clinic, you would never stop to think that the liquid medications prescribed every day (cancer drugs, eye drops, etc.) may all contain too much of that drug for the actual need, resulting in waste every time a vial is opened.  Why would you?  Some physicians, especially oncologists (and their nursing staff) probably realized this a long time ago and wondered why.  Well, maybe the answer can be found on the market news each night, in the form of stock prices.

Propublica investigated this problem and published a story regarding the problem in October of this year.  At about the same time, a bill was introduced into Congress (the Reducing Drug Waste Act of 2017) which cited the Propublica report.  NPR also ran a story of this issue, describing the maddening rationale that drug companies have used to continue the practice, in spite of knowledge that the waste exists.

As your employees go through the tremendous stress of cancer treatment, or use eye drops every day for the rest of their lives, they just need the medication.  And, as their employer, you want them to have those drugs.  But, now that it is known how the drug manufacturers continue to produce them in sizes that actually create waste; what can be done about it?  Well, you can contact your Senator to let them know you that you are informed and want something done.  And, you can work with your PBM to make them aware of your concerns as well.