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In the spirit of the pharmaceutical industry’s advertising campaign slogan, “Let’s Talk about Cost,” let’s do just that. More specifically, let’s talk about the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs and what they mean for patients and our health care system. Two recent analyses within the span of as many weeks revealed the extent to which drug prices have soared. A recent Pharmacy Benefits Consultants review of average wholesale drug prices from January 2017 to March 2018 found “twenty prescription drugs saw their prices rise by more than 200%.” (Rick Pollack and Jo Ann Jenkins, 4/23)

M&A shouldn't be this easy. London-listed drugmaker Shire Plc has nudged Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. to up its takeover proposal twice to 44 billion pounds ($62.5 billion). Allergan Plc said on Thursday it was considering a bid only to say it wouldn’t after its shares suffered a bad reaction. This auction may have a bit further to go. Takeda must have thought it was dangling a knockout price for Shire. While the target rejected the 46.50 pounds-a-share proposal, it has at least opened talks. Not surprising given the price mooted is 51 percent higher than where Shire's shares stood before the would-be purchaser popped up. (Chris Hughes and Max Nisen, 4/19)

The president, as we have all come to know, appears to devote far more attention to the politics of public policy than to the underlying policy itself. Indeed, he has tossed aside the script of formal speeches because the wonkish details offered by his aides were “a little boring.” Although this is a disconcerting trait in the leader of the free world, it can be illustrative and even helpful in framing the conundrum that is drug pricing policy. (David Beier and John Osborn, 4/20)

Illinois consumers, businesses, taxpayers and government face sticker shock as prescription drug prices spiral out of control. And nothing seems to be able to stop prices from continuing to spike. Congress has so far proven unable to rein in prescription drug costs. Federal court rulings forbid the Illinois General Assembly to enact reforms aimed at rising brand-name prescription drugs. But a new proposal in the Illinois General Assembly could provide some predictability to drug prices. (Howard Peters, 4/19)

If you talk to many seniors today the most disturbing issue with them are the outrages high prices of prescription drugs. Many will tell you that they must choose between paying the rent, utilities, medical premiums and buying food because of the high cost that they must pay for prescription drugs. Many seniors cut their daily prescriptions usage in half so that it will last twice as long. This problem is not only a senior problem but a problem for many normal families in this country. The majority of incumbent politicians have looked the other way for many years because of the strong lobbying by the pharmaceutical companies. Our politicians rely on large campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical companies to help fund their re-election bids for there perspective office. (James Sharik, 4/23)

Jay Bradner is the president of Novartis’ Institutes for BioMedical Research, the organization entrusted with Novartis’ R&D budget of $9 billion -- one of the largest in the industry. Furthermore, Novartis is a leading innovator in the oncology field with targeted therapies as well as the recently launched CAR-T therapy Kymriah for a deadly childhood leukemia. Given his important, influential role in the future of oncology research, one can’t ignore the question he asked in a self-described “soapbox moment”: “Can we as a society be over-invested in working to cure cancer?” (John LaMattina, 4/24)

Biogen Inc. is in one of the strangest situations in the pharmaceutical industry. It's getting a small cut of the sales of another company's booming multiple sclerosis drug, but that drug is also competing directly with its own critical MS franchise. Biogen's first-quarter earnings report on Tuesday highlighted just how untenable this is and how much more aggressive management needs to be about pursuing new assets. (Max Nisen, 4/24)

Employers are fed up with the U.S. health care system. That was my major takeaway from the National Business Group on Health's conference, which I attended this week alongside the benefits leads from some of the largest U.S. companies, including Amazon, Honeywell and IBM. As you might expect, representatives from these companies talked about the innovative technology on the market and they talked up their new benefits and perks, like genetic tests and fertility treatments. (Christina Farr, 4/22)