[Scripx Pharmacy]

Great chance this gets caught up in the courts. If action is warranted on behalf of the administration, we will see an equalizing of global pricing (US will decrease and EU will increase). The Pharma companies will actually use the opportunity to reset their entire pricing structure to where they pull more profits. Win for US and Pharma.

However this may hurt the local independent pharmacies as their reimbursements are going to drop dramatically, their EBITDA will drop dramatically, and hence put some out of business.

Let’s see how it unfolds.

[Morgan Sky]

“Why does the same medication cost $10 in one country and $200 in the U.S.?”

Because we are the biggest baddest most powerful and are the richest country in the history of the world. So Capitalism demands we pay the higher price. At least this is what I have been hearing over and over from many politicians for decades and programmed daily from President Trump et.al.

[Jeff Gerber]

Ivermectin right now falls into this category. I was telling a family member I just started taking it and their first reaction was to say, “But it’s so expensive!”

When speaking economics and using the term “fair market value” it makes you question the “fair” part of the term.

[Morgan Sky]

Yes absolutely. Fairness is very questionable and fair market value is very controversial and to who sets the value based on what metrics.

[IMA-HelenT]

A statement of support from the IMA

[Emma Bayne]

This article in the UK daily The Guardian tries to explain matters:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/may/13/drug-price-cuts-what-is-trump-planning-and-what-will-it-mean-for-big-pharma

Worth noting is that according to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhMRA), the US is the only country in the world that let pharmacy benefit managers (PMBs) such as Cigna, CVS and UnitedHealth negotiate drug prices with pharma companies in the US.

Meanwhile, in other countries it is governments that determine the price of medications by negotiating directly with pharma companies, and often pay less.

theguardian.com

Drug price cuts: what is Trump planning and what will it mean for big pharma?

President has directed Robert Kennedy to send price targets to industry, with slimming drugs thought to be included

[IMA-GregT]

👍 And who owns the PMB’s? As I understand it, the Medical Insurance companies. Happy to be corrected.

[Emma Bayne]

Yes, as I see it (and I have to admit that I am not an American myself) the medical insurance companies are problematic in themselves.

Many other countries simply do not have the system that exists in the US, with medical insurance companies standing in between patients and the healthcare providers. Instead, citizens of a country may simply be entitled to some level of basic care in their home country, and in many countries (e.g. in Europe) that would also include fairly advanced medical care – without medical insurance companies acting “middle men”. True, you may have to pay a certain fee to see a doctor, but it would not be an exorbitant fee. And in some countries, you may also reach a cap after you have paid for a certain number of doctors visits or a certain amount worth of medicines, after which you are eligible for free healthcare and medicines for a certain time period.

I am not sure about this, but my guess is that the only US politician I can think of that would whole-heartedly endorse this type of system in the US would be Bernie Sanders. Feel free to disagree.

[IMA-GregT]

👍 You have me smiling toward the end. Thank you.

[Wolfgang May]

hohe Medikamentenpreise haben wir auch in der EU und die Pharmaindustrie liefert in das Land, wo sie die höchsten höchsten Preise erzielt. Künstliche Lieferengpässe zusätzlich.

Für unsere NGO humedica können wir Generika auf dem Weltmarkt teilweise für unter 10% des deutschen Preises einkaufen.

[Morgan Sky]

I believe that you’re correct and Bernie is the longest advocate of a single payer/universal healthcare. However those who have joined Congress under is encouragement in the past decade may be advocates. The pay to play and worshiping of profits at all cost American CULTure will prevail until Rome falls and after. Too many zombies in the USA and then the politician’s keep importing more to support the system.

[Jason L. Taylor]

It’s mainly due to how drug prices are regulated. Many countries negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to keep prices low. In the U.S., there’s no national price control, so companies set their own prices. That’s why the same pill can cost way more in the States than elsewhere. Canadian motorcycle insurance

[Denny Workman]

I stopped Trelogy inhaler because of cost. Went from 79$ to 168$ to over 600$ in a year and a half. I thought: “This is the same tactics street deals use” and gave it up. My symptoms got much worse than even before I started using it. Now, 45 days later, my symptoms are Slowly improving. Does that response indicate a dependence?

[IMA-GregT]

👍 That’s a great ask denny, would be very interested to see what those in this forum thinks/knows/have experienced

[vegandan]

President Trump has it right. The US market has a huge bargaining chip in the form of medicaid and medicare. It should be a price negotiation from day one as part of the drug approval process. That is what other countries have done for quite some time. You want our customers, lets make a deal on the price of your product [drug.] So let’s see what happens. Speaking of the drug approval process. Why is that a one and done matter. Why isn’t there a yearly, or at least periodic, review for safety and effectiveness of these drugs. That would be a good time to renegotiate prices as well.

[IMA-GregT]

https://tuckercarlson.com/tucker-show-brigham-buhler

I thought this interview so eye-opening.

Here’s the Perplexity summary.

Tucker Carlson Episode on Drug Pricing

Overview

Tucker Carlson has addressed the issue of drug pricing and the pharmaceutical industry’s influence on several episodes of his show, often highlighting the roles of Big Pharma, insurance companies, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in driving up costs for consumers145.

Key Points from the Episode with Brigham Buhler

• Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) as Middlemen: Carlson and guest Brigham Buhler discuss how PBMs, which are often owned by large insurance companies, act as profit centers rather than negotiators for lower drug prices. PBMs negotiate rebates (kickbacks) from pharmaceutical companies, but these savings are not always passed on to consumers or pharmacies. Instead, PBMs often set higher prices and keep the difference, increasing costs for patients and the government4.

• Lack of Transparency: The episode highlights how the drug pricing system is intentionally opaque. Patients often pay more through insurance than they would if they paid cash, but gag clauses prevent pharmacists from disclosing cheaper options to customers. This lack of transparency allows PBMs and insurers to profit at the expense of patients4.

• Vertical Integration and Monopolization: Large companies like CVS Health own insurance providers, PBMs, and pharmacies, allowing them to control pricing and reimbursement across the supply chain. This vertical integration can lead to monopolistic practices and reduced competition, further driving up prices4.

• Government and Medicaid Overpayments: The episode cites an investigation in Ohio where insurance companies overcharged Medicaid by hundreds of millions of dollars through “gap pricing” schemes. The state saved money by negotiating directly with pharmaceutical companies, bypassing PBMs4.

• Incentives to Keep Patients Sick: Buhler argues that the current system incentivizes keeping patients on long-term medications rather than promoting wellness or cures, as ongoing prescriptions generate more profit for insurers and PBMs45.

• Examples of Drug Pricing Manipulation: The episode uses insulin and metformin as examples, explaining how insurance and PBMs inflate costs far above the actual price paid to manufacturers or pharmacies. Rebates and kickbacks are structured so that the middlemen profit, not the patient or the original drug maker4.

Policy Discussion

• Trump’s Proposal: The episode discusses former President Trump’s stated intention to eliminate PBMs, which Carlson and Buhler suggest would reduce unnecessary profit-taking and potentially lower drug prices for consumers45.

Related Episodes and Themes

• Other episodes and discussions on Tucker Carlson’s platforms have explored how Big Pharma influences healthcare, including advertising practices and the role of pharmaceutical companies in chronic illness and the opioid crisis1256.

Summary Table: Key Issues Highlighted

Conclusion

Tucker Carlson’s coverage on drug pricing focuses on the complex interplay between pharmaceutical companies, insurance providers, and PBMs, arguing that this system is designed to maximize profits at the expense of patients, transparency, and public health45. The episodes call for reform, including the potential elimination of PBMs, to address these systemic issues.

Citations:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzRjkNYT-U8
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUH4Co2wE-I
3. https://tuckercarlson.com
4. https://www.happyscribe.com/public/the-tucker-carlson-show/brigham-buhler-unitedhealthcare-ceo-assassination-the-mass-monetization-of-chronic-illness
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMBCkokxTAk
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL1_CO3B9Ug
7. https://unbara.ac.id/dbb14b49cdd/a5e1e85e-jWeidqwtHRM
8. https://open.spotify.com/show/5L2ON33kXa2b7laBpCAgOI

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

tuckercarlson.com

Just a moment...

Just a moment...