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Prescriptions Might Work; Prices Don't
March 4, 2008 -- A new poll shows that U.S. adults have mixed feelings about prescription drugs.
On the one hand, 73% of the nearly 1,700 poll participants said that prescription drugs developed in the last 20 years have improved lives.
But on the other hand, 79% call the cost of prescription drugs "unreasonable" and 41% indicate that paying for prescription drugs is a problem, including 16% who call it a "serious problem."
The poll also shows that in the previous two years, 29% hadn't filled a prescription because of the cost and 23% had skipped doses or cut pills in half to make their drug supply last longer. People with low incomes, many prescriptions, and no health insurance were more likely to do that.
The poll, conducted by telephone in January, is a joint effort of the Harvard School of Public Health, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and USA Today. The poll's margin of error is 3 percentage points.
Positive, Negative Views
Poll participants heard a list of positive and negative statements about prescription drugs and drug companies. They noted all of the statements with which they agreed.
Here are the top three positive views, along with the percentage of people who agreed with each statement:
- Prescription drugs developed in the last 20 years have generally made the lives of people in the U.S. better: 73%
- Prescription drug ads educate people about available treatment and encourage them to get help: 67%
- Prescription drugs developed over the last 20 years have made your life/your family's lives better: 63%
Here are the top three negative views, along with the percentage of people who agreed with each statement:
- The cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable: 79%
- The cost of ads makes prescription drugs too expensive: 77%
- Pharmaceutical companies make too much profit: 74%
More than half of participants -- 54% -- said they currently take at least one prescription drug.
(See where the presidential candidates stand on drug prices and other health care issues. Visit WebMD's special report, " Health Matters in the 2008 Election.")
Prescription Drug Industry Responds
WebMD contacted the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents prescription drug makers and biotechnology companies, about the poll.
PhRMA replied with a statement from Ken Johnson, PhRMA's senior vice president.
"Public sentiment concerning prescription drug prices trends may not always reflect the most up-to-date research on the slow growth of prescription drug prices," says Johnson.
"In fact, recent data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that the growth of prescription drug costs in the United States has declined sharply. Price growth has been modest," says Johnson.
Johnson points out the extensive investment of money and time that go into creating a new drug and seeing it through the FDA's drug approval process. He also notes PhRMA's Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which provides information on more than 475 patient assistance programs that offer brand-name and generic prescription medicines for free or nearly free.
"Since April 2005, nearly 5 million Americans have been helped by the PPA," says Johnson. "People who need help can find out if they may be eligible by calling the PPA's toll-free number 888-4PPA-NOW or visiting the PPA's user-friendly web site" at www.pparx.org.
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