A report issued by the AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, said that prices for medicines commonly used by older Americans rose steadily after the enactment of the new Medicare law. The report said that bland-name drug prices climbed 3.4 percent since December; at three times the rate of inflation; and the highest quarterly jump since 2000. AARP researchers looked at the wholesale price of 197 brand-name prescription drugs most used by older adults. According to the report, Johnson & Johnson's pain patch Duragesic saw the highest price increase of 9.9 percent, followed by Novartis cholesterol drug Lescol at 9.5 percent. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s anti-clotting drug Plavix had a 7.9 percent increase, while cholesterol-fighting Pravachol rose 7 percent.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Healthcare Purchasing News
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
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