Novartis, Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and AstraZeneca are among nearly 30 pharmaceutical companies reportedly planning to increase the price of their drugs in the US in January. The move comes after the industry implemented a self-imposed freeze on price rises last year, following pressure from US President Donald Trump, who made tackling the high cost of drugs a priority in his 2016 presidential campaign. Those measures are not expected to provide relief to consumers in the short-term, however, and fall short of giving government health agencies direct authority to negotiate or regulate drug prices. The US Department of Health and Human Services has planned policies to lower prices and pass discounts on to patients. In India, where drug pricing is controlled by state governments, there have been no such policy changes.
Novartis, Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and AstraZeneca are among nearly 30 pharmaceutical companies reportedly planning to increase the price of their drugs in the US in January. The move comes after the industry implemented a self-imposed freeze on price rises last year, following pressure from US President Donald Trump, who made tackling the high cost of drugs a priority in his 2016 presidential campaign. The US Department of Health and Human Services has planned policies to lower prices and pass discounts on to patients. In India, where drug pricing is controlled by state governments, there have been no such policy changes.