15.5 million U.S. adults under the age of 65 and 2.3 million seniors were unable to afford at least one doctor-prescribed medication this year, according to a new study (pdf), based on four nationally representative surveys conducted in recent months by the polling outfit Gallup in partnership with West Health, a nonprofit organization focused on lowering healthcare costs.
"Prescription drugs don't work if you cannot afford them," Dan Witters, a senior researcher at Gallup, said in a statement. "Across multiple studies, we are measuring adults from all age, race, and ethnic groups, political parties, and income levels are reporting that they are struggling to afford medications..."
Unsurprisingly, the pharmaceutical industry is lobbying hard against efforts to cut soaring medicine prices.
Margarida Jorge, campaign director for Lower Drug Prices Now, said, "Ending the pharmaceutical industry's monopoly control over drug pricing is long overdue," she added. "It's time to put healthcare before healthcare —no one should have to worry about affording the medicines they need, especially when pharmaceutical corporations continue to be the most profitable sector in the nation."
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