States consider bringing prescription drugs from Canada to US as costs soar
In the face of surging prescription drug prices, some US states are proposing to import medicines in bulk from Canada, where many drugs are cheaper thanks to government price controls.
One of those hepatitis C drugs, called Sovaldi, is a good example of how prices can vary between countries. In the US, a course of Sovaldi lasts 12 weeks and costs $90,000 US retail.
American insurers typically negotiate a discount of 41%, according to a Bloomberg News analysis. That puts the cost of the drug at $17,700 per month in the US.
But in the United Kingdom, that drug costs $16,770 per month, and in Canada $14,493.
In the face of surging prescription drug prices, some US states are proposing to import medicines in bulk from Canada, where many drugs are cheaper thanks to government price controls.
One of those hepatitis C drugs, called Sovaldi, is a good example of how prices can vary between countries. In the US, a course of Sovaldi lasts 12 weeks and costs $90,000 US retail.
American insurers typically negotiate a discount of 41%, according to a Bloomberg News analysis. That puts the cost of the drug at $17,700 per month in the US.
But in the United Kingdom, that drug costs $16,770 per month, and in Canada $14,493.
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