Ahmed Aboulenein

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Drugmakers raised U.S. prescription drug prices for seven of the most expensive drugs in 2020, without any justification. This led to an increase of $1.67 trillion in drug spending, according to a U.S. review group that evaluates the medical value.

AbbVie Inc The majority of U.S. spending growth was due to the widely-used Humira, a drug that treats rheumatoid arthritis.

In a report, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review in Boston (ICER), stated that it had reviewed published research and received input from drug companies and found no new evidence to support price increases.

David Rind (ICER Chief Medical Officer) stated, “Several of the treatments we have discussed are available for years. There is not much evidence they are any better than they used to be when they were cheaper.”

He stated that Humira was the most extreme, with a rising U.S. cost contrasted starkly with its declining prices in all countries where Humira is currently facing biosimilar competition. In 2002, Humira was approved by the U.S.

AbbVie responded to ICER by saying that the context was lacking because ICER doesn’t perform complete value assessments or exclude evidence from small patient populations.

These findings are coming as Congressmen Joe Biden (Democrats) try to pass legislation to lower drug prices. This would allow the federal government, through Medicare, to negotiate drug payments. Medicare covers Americans 65 years and over.

For a total amount of $350 billion, the United States spent more than twice as much on drugs per capita as countries with wealthy economies. This is approximately $1,500.

The highest price increase for Novartis’ Promacta (used to treat severe anemia), was 14.1%. This led to a 100 million dollar increase in U.S. expenditures.

Novartis claimed it uses a value-based pricing model and that it gave ICER important new data in clinical and financial economics that was not considered by the group.