Study debunks cost claim by drug makers

In a study reported this week in JAMA Network Open, researchers found no association between a drug’s list price and research and development costs. The study looked at 60 drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration between 2009 and 2018.

“Drug companies should make further data available to support their claims that high drug prices are needed to recover research and development investments, if they are to continue to use this argument to justify high prices,” the authors said.