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Ethical Perspectives on Costly Drugs and Health Care

Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: High drug prices have created substantial challenges for patients, physicians, health systems, and payers. High drug prices can affect patient care in many ways, including limiting access to treatment, increasing the burden of administrative tasks, and contributing to physician burnout. Exorbitant drug pricing poses direct challenges for distributive justice, which is concerned with fairly distributing benefits and burdens across society. In this position statement, we discuss ethical concerns raised by high drug costs, primarily focusing on concerns around distributive justice. We consider forms of rationing, approaches to allocation, potential complexities in real-life application, and structural forces contributing to high drug costs. Finally, we consider potential policy solutions and ramifications for individual clinicians.
Source: Neurology
DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012571
Institutions: ECRI Institute, Northwestern University, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, University of Connecticut, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, UConn Health
Language: English
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, NYU Langone Medical Center, Texas Tech University, University of Washington, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Augusta University, Houston Methodist Hospital, National Institutes of Health, Houston Methodist Research Institute
OpenAlex ID: W3203886377
FWCI: 0.953
Cites: 35
Cited by: 14
Related to: 10