National
Desk
| May 20, 2003, Tuesday
THE
SUPREME COURT: THE DRUG MAKERS;
Understanding a Prescription
By GARDINER HARRIS (NYT) 422 words
Late Edition - Final , Section A ,
Page 22 , Column 5
ABSTRACT
- Surveys find that key consideration of
doctors in prescribing particular medication
is often knowledge that drug is on managed
care programs' formulary or list, which is
why Supreme Court decision allowing Maine to
try to lower drug prices is seen as setback
for drug industry; Maine would use
Medicaid's buying power to negotiate bulk
discounts, which companies fear would lead
to govenrnment-sponsored formulary, and
lower profits (S) When doctors decide which
drugs to prescribe, the most important
criterion is often not how well they work,
their side effects or their prices.
Instead, doctors are most likely to
prescribe a pill if they think that a
managed care program will pay for it,
according to surveys by several drug
companies. The drug has to be on what is
called ''the formulary,'' a list that
managed care groups approve.
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