In this episode of Breaking Brad, Brad and drug pricing expert Alex Gelfand, PharmD, attempt to demystify the opaque worlds of drug pricing and health insurance in the United States. They discuss the chain of custody for a drug—from the manufacturer to the patient who picks it up at the pharmacy—and highlight the many "hands in the pocket" along the way. They discuss the powerful role pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play in the pricing, as well as insurance companies that own every link of the drug custody chain. They argue for greater transparency and simpler distribution models using examples such as Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Pharmacy.
Guest: Alex Gelfand, PharmD
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