Another monument of misinformation and efforts to mislead the public was recorded today by the US president, as he promised that his government would reduce the prices of “1,000%” drugs.
The false promise of Trump
“I think it’s one of the biggest things we will do. We will reduce the prices of drugs by 100%, in some cases by 300% or more, “he told reporters today as he arrived at the White House after speaking to the military leadership in Kuntiko.
He had been preceded by a statement on Saturday, which said that “we will reduce drug prices to a level that no one has done- not 20% and 30% but by 1,000%”.
but anyone who knows basic mathematics may also find that this is simply not possible. Even if Trump policy causes a large reduction in drug prices – and this is particularly uncertain as it is based on the cooperation of reluctant pharmaceutical companies or on hypothetical future regulatory activity – it cannot actually reduce the price of any product by 100%, more than 1,000%.
The simple mathematics that reject Trump promises
If Trump was magically able to make companies reduce the prices of all medicines by 100% very simply the drugs would now cost $ 0, that is, it would be free.
A theoretical, because only such may be, a decrease in drug prices by more than 100% would mean that Americans would be paid to acquire their medicines instead of paying for them.
Health Economist Timothy McBrade described Trump’s allegations “just unreasonable”, noting that a 500% reduction would mean that a drug that now costs $ 100 would cost $ 400.
