UCSB ECONOMIST TO DISCUSS MEDICINE'S BITTER PILL: THE HIGH COST OF PURCHASING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

The people of a few generations back would be amazed at the ability of doctors to cure and control disease in the 21st century.

So, too, would they be amazed at what patients pay to have them do it.

Not the least of the costs are those of prescription drugs.

Bill Comanor, professor of economics at UCSB, will explain why medicines cost so much at a meeting of the UCSB Affiliates Economic Forum at noon Wednesday, Jan. 24 at the Chase Palm Park Recreation Center (236 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara).

Cost of the luncheon lecture is $12 to Affiliates members, $15 to non-members.

Advance registration is required and must be received by the UCSB Affiliates office (c/o Office of Community Relations, UCSB, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93106-2100) by Friday, Jan. 19.

Titled "A Bitter Pill:

The High Cost of Prescription Drugs," Comanor's talk will cover many of the questions consumers have about prescription drugs:

·Why do they cost so much?

·How are prices set?

·Do some patients pay more than others?

·Why are some drugs cheaper abroad?

·What about generic substitutes?

·Will prices continue to increase?

Comanor has a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard, where his dissertation topic was "The Economics of Research and Development in the Pharmaceutical Industry."

He has been a professor at UCSB since 1975 and splits his time between Santa Barbara and UCLA, where he is a professor of health services and director of the Research Program on Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy.

The UCSB Affiliates Economics Forum is sponsored by the UCSB Affiliates and the Office of Community Relations in association with the Department of Economics and is intended to bring together the university and the community in discussion of economic issues.