Neurologists will tackle the issues surrounding rising prices for neurological drug treatments in a set of presentations during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Boston.
During the Contemporary Clinical Issues Plenary Session on April 24, Dennis N. Bourdette, MD, of Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, will give his presentation, “High Drug Prices: The Elephant in the Clinic.”
Dr. Bourdette will also address the problem on April 26 in a session called “Section Topic Controversies,” in which he and Dennis W. Choi, MD, PhD, of the State University of New York at Stony Brook will offer their opinions on how “Neurologists Should Take a Position Regarding the Cost of Neurological Treatments.” Dr. Bourdette is set to illustrate how “Neurologists Should More Vocally Protest Some of the Marked Price Increases Involving Neurological Treatments,” while Dr. Choi will provide rationale for his argument on why “Neurologists Should Influence Policies that Allow Companies to Commit More Resources to R&D for Neurological Diseases While Not Allowing for Rapacious Pricing Practices.” Following the discussion, Dr. Bourdette, Dr. Choi, and session moderators will have a panel discussion on the ways in which AAN members can work most productively for the benefit of their patients.
Sure to be discussed in the series of talks is a recent AAN position paper on prescription drug prices released in March that identified three distinct drug pricing challenges:
- Massive increase in the pricing of previously low-cost generic drugs used to treat common disorders without obvious increases in cost of production or distribution.
- Massive increase in the pricing for high-priced generic and brand name drugs used to treat serious disorders that are not protected by the Orphan Drug Act.
- The high cost of new medications used to treat rare disorders as defined by the Orphan Drug Act.