Dave Davies

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.

You know, the drug companies say in their defense— that yes, they make a lot of money, but that's the cost of doing all the expensive research and testing that it requires to get new medication, to innovate. How well does their defense stand up?

You know, the drug companies say in their defense— that yes, they make a lot of money, but that's the cost of doing all the expensive research and testing that it requires to get new medication, to innovate. How well does their defense stand up?

You know, the drug companies say in their defense— that yes, they make a lot of money, but that's the cost of doing all the expensive research and testing that it requires to get new medication, to innovate. How well does their defense stand up?

You know, I've always wondered when, I mean, like in the case of Revlimid, I mean, the medical breakthroughs, the research breakthroughs occurred here, I guess, at a hospital in Arkansas and doctors in Boston. What kind of credit or compensation did they or their institutions get for this breakthrough drug?

You know, I've always wondered when, I mean, like in the case of Revlimid, I mean, the medical breakthroughs, the research breakthroughs occurred here, I guess, at a hospital in Arkansas and doctors in Boston. What kind of credit or compensation did they or their institutions get for this breakthrough drug?

You know, I've always wondered when, I mean, like in the case of Revlimid, I mean, the medical breakthroughs, the research breakthroughs occurred here, I guess, at a hospital in Arkansas and doctors in Boston. What kind of credit or compensation did they or their institutions get for this breakthrough drug?

Is it typically the case that grants from the National Institutes of Health, which go to research hospitals and teaching hospitals all over the country, that when they achieve something that's lucrative for a drug company, they share in the proceeds?

Is it typically the case that grants from the National Institutes of Health, which go to research hospitals and teaching hospitals all over the country, that when they achieve something that's lucrative for a drug company, they share in the proceeds?

Is it typically the case that grants from the National Institutes of Health, which go to research hospitals and teaching hospitals all over the country, that when they achieve something that's lucrative for a drug company, they share in the proceeds?

Going to take another break here. Let me reintroduce you. We are speaking with David Armstrong. He is a senior reporter for ProPublica investigating health care. His new article about the high cost of the cancer medication Revlimid is the price of remission. We'll talk more after this break. This is Fresh Air. You know, we talked about the high cost that people pay for prescription medications.

Going to take another break here. Let me reintroduce you. We are speaking with David Armstrong. He is a senior reporter for ProPublica investigating health care. His new article about the high cost of the cancer medication Revlimid is the price of remission. We'll talk more after this break. This is Fresh Air. You know, we talked about the high cost that people pay for prescription medications.

Going to take another break here. Let me reintroduce you. We are speaking with David Armstrong. He is a senior reporter for ProPublica investigating health care. His new article about the high cost of the cancer medication Revlimid is the price of remission. We'll talk more after this break. This is Fresh Air. You know, we talked about the high cost that people pay for prescription medications.

You've also written about many cases in which insurance companies deny doctors and patients reimbursement for certain tests or treatments that they have ordered. And you wrote extensively about a young man named Christopher McNaughton who suffered from a condition called ulcerative colitis. This really affected him in a bad way. He got it when he was in college. He finally got to the Mayo Clinic.

You've also written about many cases in which insurance companies deny doctors and patients reimbursement for certain tests or treatments that they have ordered. And you wrote extensively about a young man named Christopher McNaughton who suffered from a condition called ulcerative colitis. This really affected him in a bad way. He got it when he was in college. He finally got to the Mayo Clinic.

You've also written about many cases in which insurance companies deny doctors and patients reimbursement for certain tests or treatments that they have ordered. And you wrote extensively about a young man named Christopher McNaughton who suffered from a condition called ulcerative colitis. This really affected him in a bad way. He got it when he was in college. He finally got to the Mayo Clinic.

He had a doctor, Edward Loftus, who put him on doses of two biologics, which are more expensive drugs because of the way they're produced. But his insurance company, United Health, scrutinized the cost. What ensued then?

He had a doctor, Edward Loftus, who put him on doses of two biologics, which are more expensive drugs because of the way they're produced. But his insurance company, United Health, scrutinized the cost. What ensued then?

He had a doctor, Edward Loftus, who put him on doses of two biologics, which are more expensive drugs because of the way they're produced. But his insurance company, United Health, scrutinized the cost. What ensued then?

Right. Even delaying care could be terribly damaging, right? That's true.