Wednesday, May 22, 2002

states and the high cost of medicine

States have been joining together to bring a number of lawsuits in recent years. An action against tobacco companies was followed by a suit against Microsoft. Now 35 States are teaming up to take on the high cost of medicine, in court. An attorney for one drug company has responded that the "solution should be legislation, not legal action."

If high prices are a result of "confusion over government pricing policies," he may have a point. A couple of recent cases involving pharmaceutical companies showed that there are some industry wide practices that need to be examined carefully. That might be easier to do in a courtroom than in a legislative hall.