The News
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday aimed at cutting prescription drug costs, but experts questioned its scope and efficacy.
The order directs the administration to work with drugmakers to set prices at levels similar to those paid by other developed countries, or face possible restrictions on imports and access to materials: Many nations with single-payer healthcare systems, such as in Europe, have negotiated lower prices for drugs.
It’s unclear whether the order covers only Medicaid and Medicare, or if it applies more broadly, The Wall Street Journal noted.
Americans are unlikely to see lower costs any time soon, one expert told The Associated Press, as any actions taken to force companies to cut prices will likely have “a very long timeline, some of which could potentially, years in the future, lower drug prices.”