The manufacturer of widely used cancer an AIDS medication raised the prices 5000%. Yes, that is three zeros. Hit the jump to find out how they justified this- and what this means for people who need these meds.

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First of all, this drug is 62-years old. Before this criminal price jack, the medication Daraprim cost only $13.50 per pill. However, now that price is $750 for each measly pill.

The company claims no one will be denied the medication if patients need it. But, it seems Turing looks at patients more like customers than deathly ill hospital patients.

“It not policing itself at all, so each company raises the price of the next drug higher than the last.” Peter Maybarduk, director of Public Citizen’s Global Access to Medicines program explained that the medication industry is out of control.

The country agrees. The real problem is that all of these companies have free reign. No one in the government really cares how much these drugs cost- at least not enough to regulate them. Maybe the government officials get the drugs for free (probably,) and maybe they own stake in the company.

Regardless, this should be criminal. Turing says if you have “commercial health insurance” the drugs will only be $10/pill. But, the pill already cost only $13.50. After 62 years of production, greed can be the only true culprit in these sky-high prices.

Source: CBS