Unintended Consequences — The Cost of Preventing Preterm Births after FDA Approval

Unintended Consequences — The Cost of Preventing Preterm Births after FDA Approval of a Branded Version of 17OHP | Health Policy and Reform: At a time when so many people are working to deliver on the promise of the “affordable” aspect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, can there be any justification for driving up the cost of an available medication from about $300 to $30,000 — about a 100-fold increase — with minimal added clinical benefit? Tragically, such a startling escalation will result from the Food and Drug Administration approval of a new version of an agent for preventing preterm birth.