LOCAL News :: Health & Drugs
County Fights Big Pharmaceuticals
Dr Rama Khalsa, director of Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, said today that pharmaceutical purchases make up one third of her agency's budget.
The agency is is taking steps toward 'collective buying with other counties' to reduce the cost of the medicines.
Dr. Khalsa referred to the price of the drugs as including a 'lively profit margin'.
The pharmaceutical companies are categorizing the action which would result in a 30-40% discount as a 'restaint of trade'.