Let us talk government boards to set drug prices. Maryland established its first such board in 2019, and it recently selected eight popular medicines — treating such conditions as diabetes, kidney disease and HIV/AIDS — for a “cost review” to see if the state should impose Upper Price Limits, or UPLs. Nine other states have set up these Pharmaceutical Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs), and there is a growing realization that they do a lot more harm than good. For patients, losing access to the right medicines will mean needless suffering with no gain in affordability.
True cost: Price controls on drugs is a good intention, but their execution in other states has been detrimental to the patients who require said medications. Maryland leaders should take note of other states’ shortcoming before imposing further regulations on the drug market. This session, the Maryland Chamber opposed the expansion of the state board’s authority to the private sector.
