A special series from Tradeoffs examining the problems undermining the generic drugs we all rely on — and how we could fix them.
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Part One: Boom Times
Forty years ago this month, President Ronald Reagan signed groundbreaking, bipartisan legislation that gave birth to a new drug industry. This week, we get an inside look at the choices made back then that help explain the wild success and troubles we see today with generic medicines.
Part Two: Hard Bargain
America pays less, on average, than any other major country for the generic drugs that account for 90% of our prescriptions. But selling essential drugs at such low prices comes with hidden costs, from quality problems to frequent shortages.
Part Three: Where’s the Cavalry?
Some of the most powerful new medicines pose a host of challenges for drug companies trying to copy and sell similar versions on the cheap. Can those companies find a sustainable path forward, or will patients get left stuck paying exorbitant prices?
Read More
3 Big Threats to the Cheap, Effective Medicines That Underpin U.S. Health Care
The U.S. has relied on cheap, effective generic drugs for 40 years. Now that promise is under threat.
This project was supported in part by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, Arnold Ventures, and West Health.
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