Here's why prescription drug costs are on the rise

Prescription drug costs are on the march, and out of reach for many Americans
Jennifer Schlesinger | @jennyanne211

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New treatments for Hepatitis C, a liver infection which can cause long-term health problems and even death, have 90 percent cure rates. Unfortunately, it also comes with a huge price tag: 12 weeks of treatment in the U.S. with Sovaldi is $80,000 and with Harvoni is $94,5000. Both drugs are manufactured by Gilead.

"We have these drugs that can wipeout this horrible disease and wipeout an epidemic but the cost is so prohibitive. So we'll never stop the epidemic this way if we can't afford the drugs," Dr. Ken Davis, President and CEO of Mt Sinai Medical, told CNBC's "On the Money" in a recent interview.

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Of Interest
Study Looks at Barriers to Hepatitis C Treatment
MD Magazine - ‎Aug 19, 2016‎ 
Beyond high cost, people with hepatitis C face several barriers to treatment, and those arise from various sources. Doctors, Medicaid, private health insurance companies, and intravenous drug use can all be obstacles, according to a university study out of Massachusetts that examined treatment approvals for two new drugs.