Dave Davies

We need to take another break here. We are speaking with David Armstrong. He is a senior reporter for ProPublica. His new story about the high cost of the cancer drug Revlimid is the price of remission. He'll be back to talk more after this short break. I'm Dave Davies, and this is Fresh Air.

We need to take another break here. We are speaking with David Armstrong. He is a senior reporter for ProPublica. His new story about the high cost of the cancer drug Revlimid is the price of remission. He'll be back to talk more after this short break. I'm Dave Davies, and this is Fresh Air.

We need to take another break here. We are speaking with David Armstrong. He is a senior reporter for ProPublica. His new story about the high cost of the cancer drug Revlimid is the price of remission. He'll be back to talk more after this short break. I'm Dave Davies, and this is Fresh Air.

You know, along with the story that you've just published about the price of Revlimid, you have a companion story which asks the question, why do Americans pay more for prescription drugs? And you write that Americans do pay more than other wealthy countries for the same drugs. Why?

You know, along with the story that you've just published about the price of Revlimid, you have a companion story which asks the question, why do Americans pay more for prescription drugs? And you write that Americans do pay more than other wealthy countries for the same drugs. Why?

You know, along with the story that you've just published about the price of Revlimid, you have a companion story which asks the question, why do Americans pay more for prescription drugs? And you write that Americans do pay more than other wealthy countries for the same drugs. Why?

Right. Well, President Trump has announced that he's assigned an executive order, which he says will require pharmaceutical companies in the United States to give Americans the lowest price they charge to other countries, which he says are much cheaper in Europe, for example. And he says that'll have a big impact. What's your sense of what we might expect from this effort?

Right. Well, President Trump has announced that he's assigned an executive order, which he says will require pharmaceutical companies in the United States to give Americans the lowest price they charge to other countries, which he says are much cheaper in Europe, for example. And he says that'll have a big impact. What's your sense of what we might expect from this effort?

Right. Well, President Trump has announced that he's assigned an executive order, which he says will require pharmaceutical companies in the United States to give Americans the lowest price they charge to other countries, which he says are much cheaper in Europe, for example. And he says that'll have a big impact. What's your sense of what we might expect from this effort?

Right. You know, there's been a lot of discussion of the federal government negotiating for better prices for Medicaid and Medicare, where the government is in fact the one buying the product. In the case of you know, controlling transactions among two private entities, right? I mean, an American drug maker and American buyers and those who buy in Europe.

Right. You know, there's been a lot of discussion of the federal government negotiating for better prices for Medicaid and Medicare, where the government is in fact the one buying the product. In the case of you know, controlling transactions among two private entities, right? I mean, an American drug maker and American buyers and those who buy in Europe.

Right. You know, there's been a lot of discussion of the federal government negotiating for better prices for Medicaid and Medicare, where the government is in fact the one buying the product. In the case of you know, controlling transactions among two private entities, right? I mean, an American drug maker and American buyers and those who buy in Europe.

You're really talking about price controls, aren't you?

You're really talking about price controls, aren't you?

You're really talking about price controls, aren't you?

Right. Now, the Biden administration has claimed credit for reducing prices of certain widely used drugs, I think particular diabetes medications.

Right. Now, the Biden administration has claimed credit for reducing prices of certain widely used drugs, I think particular diabetes medications.

Right. Now, the Biden administration has claimed credit for reducing prices of certain widely used drugs, I think particular diabetes medications.

One of the things President Trump said when he was talking about his new executive order is that he plans to cut out the, quote, middlemen in drug purchasing who make a fortune without ever offering a product. I guess these are presumably the pharmacy benefit managers whose role I've read about but don't really understand.

One of the things President Trump said when he was talking about his new executive order is that he plans to cut out the, quote, middlemen in drug purchasing who make a fortune without ever offering a product. I guess these are presumably the pharmacy benefit managers whose role I've read about but don't really understand.