Why are drug prices getting more and more expensive?

In recent years, high drug prices have always been a pain point for ordinary people to see a doctor. In the eyes of the industry, the high sales cost of the pharmaceutical industry is the direct cause of high drug prices.

Simply put, the composition of drug price is divided into three parts: from the production field to the circulation field before the consumption field, and from the circulation field to the wholesale and retail link. Drugs are bought and sold once in every link, and there is a corresponding price, thus forming three prices: ex-factory price, wholesale price and retail price, and the price of drugs is raised layer by layer.

Take Baijiahei, the most common cold medicine, as an example. When the minibus went to the drug price inquiry website, it was found that the retail price of 12 *2 boards was 19.2 yuan, while the ex-factory price was only 3. 1 yuan, which was six times higher. Although 20 yuan is not expensive, it is acceptable to treat a cold, but the ex-factory price of black and white is similar to that of a bottle of drink, and the minibus is still a little surprised.

Another cold medicine for children-Xiao Kuaike, the ex-factory price is 2. 1 yuan, the retail price is 1 1.5 yuan, and the price has also doubled.

From ex-factory price to retail price, there is a big difference in the middle. This price difference is reflected in the financial report of pharmaceutical companies, which is the sales expenses.

On the one hand, because patients lack relevant knowledge, what medicine to use is basically to listen to the doctor's opinion, leading to pharmaceutical companies can only sell drugs if they get a doctor. As a result, a series of sales expenses under the guise of rent-seeking appeared on the accounts of pharmaceutical companies.

But from another perspective, as long as the doctor is settled, no matter how high the drug price is, it has nothing to do with the patient.

On the other hand, most domestic pharmaceutical companies mainly produce generic drugs and proprietary Chinese medicines, and the products are homogeneous, which leads to weak pricing power and requires a lot of funds to promote sales.