State-by-state price control effort

Prescription drug price control advocates, including state legislators and labor union representatives, launched a national campaign Tuesday to encourage state legislatures to enact price control bills.

Price control advocates held press conferences in 20 states and the District of Columbia to press for states to enact legislation similar to a bill recently passed in Maine. Under the Maine legislation, the state will purchase pharmaceuticals for Medicare recipients and attempt to negotiate deep discounts. If the state is unable to negotiate sufficient discounts within three years, the legislation allows Maine to impose mandatory rebates on pharmaceutical manufacturers and set retail prices. ...