LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Prescription price setting can have serious repercussions

Published 12:01 am Saturday, May 21, 2022

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Dear Editor,

As a dental student, I have seen first-hand how medical advancements have impacted patients for the better.

Over the last few decades, we have seen the development of new treatments and medications that help alleviate symptoms like pain, swelling and infection. These findings have been instrumental in the dentistry field, and I know other medical breakthroughs have been found in other divisions of healthcare.

That is why it is so alarming to me to find out that some members of Congress are considering legislation that could harm the development of more medications for patients. Prescription price setting can have serious repercussions like reducing the resources needed for drug research and development. These policies could also ultimately harm access to medications patients already utilize now.

Here in the United States, our free-market system has allowed us to have access to almost 90% of all new medications and treatments available globally. Compare this to the likes of our Canadian neighbors, who have a government that is heavily involved in their healthcare system, and their access drops down to 48%.

As someone who will be working in healthcare for the rest of my career, I want to ensure that my patients have access to the treatments they need, and also ensure that new, and better medications are able to be found. I hope our lawmakers in Washington make the right choice and vote against price setting.

 

Sincerely,

Murphy Conlin

Student at the LSU Dental School in New Orleans