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Jonathan Oberlander, PhD, chair of the Department of Social Medicine, coauthored a perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine on efforts in Congress to pass legislation that would regulate prescription drug prices.


Jonathan Oberlander, PhD, chair of the Department of Social Medicine, coauthored a perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine on efforts in Congress to pass legislation that would regulate prescription drug prices.

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Jonathan Oberlander, PhD

Jonathan Oberlander coauthored a November 28, 2019 New England Journal of Medicine perspective on efforts in Congress to pass legislation that would regulate prescription drug prices.

Oberlander, professor and chair of social medicine and professor of health policy & management, and his coauthor, Stacie Dusetzina from Vanderbilt University, analyze a new plan introduced in the House that would transform the federal government’s role in drug pricing, including linking federal payments to prices paid by other countries, allowing private payers to also use those prices, and imposing strict limits on how much drug prices could increase.

They argue that, “The politics of prescription-drug policy are changing because of pressure caused by rising spending, imperiling the deals that have protected the pharmaceutical industry from stronger federal regulation.” However, “in this polarized political environment, with impeachment proceedings dominating the agenda and a contentious election nearing, securing bipartisan agreement on health policy changes is difficult.”