Elders Getting Hit From all Sides - Elder Drugs Prices Races Ahead of Inflation

By Kevin Freking Contra Costa Times

WASHINGTON -- Drugmakers increased their prices last year by an average of 7.4 percent for brand-name medicines most commonly prescribed to the elderly, according to the advocacy group AARP.

The increase was about 2.5 times overall inflation, continuing a long-standing trend.

"Unfortunately, many manufactures have taken the absence of an outcry as a green light to go ahead and raise prices even more," said John Rother, AARP's policy director.

All but four of the 220 brand-name prescriptions in the study had price increases during 2007. Nearly all exceeded the rate of general inflation.

Abridged and Edited for E.A. =>>