State Lawmakers Want to Rein In Prescription Drug Price Increases
Democrats plan to introduce legislation this week
![](https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2531170178_5887d7186e_m.jpg)
State lawmakers are headed back to work this week. Democrats say they are anxious to introduce a bill aimed at preventing price gouging by pharmaceutical companies. Prescription drug prices across the country increased an average of 10% in 2016 with some prices increasing as much as 2000%. State House Democratic Leader, Sam Singh, tells WDET’s Amy Miller that one example is the life-saving Epi Pen which he says costs $30 to manufacture, but retails for as much as $600. Singh says the state needs to have more oversight.
“Anytime a drug company was going to increase the price by 10% in one year or 30% over five years they would have to go before the protection board and make their case and explain why they were doing that. If they don’t do that then there’s a series of penalties that would be accrued against that company” – Sam Singh
To hear the entire conversation click on the audio link above