Aimee Picchi: 5 Reasons Why Americans Pay So Much For Drugs

1. Lack of bargaining - Other governments bargain on behalf of their citizens, which helps to keep costs down
2. High marketing costs - The U.S. allows drug companies to market directly to consumers, which isn't legal in Europe. That means pharmaceutical firms in America typically spend much more on marketing
3. No caps on costs - When you cap costs a pharmaceutical company can't easily copy what Turing Pharmaceuticals did this year when it jacked up the price of a 62-year-old drug some 5,000 percent
4. Opaque pricing - Figuring out how much a prescription medication costs can be difficult because there is no database or other sources of information that track increases in drug prices
5. Lack of rationing or denials - Americans want medical treatment, regardless of the cost or outcome but other countries will reject paying for medications if they believe the drugs aren't worth it

Source: CBS News
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