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This
year’s Health Care Symposium will focus on the rising
costs of pharmaceuticals, the drivers behind these costs, and physicians’ roles
in this aspect of health care. Modern pharmaceuticals offer innovative
treatments for a broad range of diseases, but these advances
come at a steep price. Americans spent $164 billion on prescription
drugs in 2002, an increase of 15% from the previous year.
Why
do Americans spend so much on prescription drugs? Potential factors
that will be considered are economic (the introduction
of new drugs—whether “breakthrough”, “me-too
products”, or safer and more effective versions of older
drugs), demographic (aging population), and social factors (“medicalization” of
conditions like shyness), as well as pharmaceutical promotional/marketing
efforts.
We hope that you will join us
on February 12, 2005 for the 9th Annual UCLA Health Care Symposium, "Pills, Profits and
Politics: Drivers of Rising Drug Costs and Strategies for Maximizing Value." As space may be limited,
please register online soon.
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