PS Picks: The ‘New York Times’ on High Drug Prices in America

PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine’s staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
Rosemary Petty, a Publix Supermarket pharmacy technician, counts out a prescription of antibiotic pills on August 7th, 2007, in Miami, Florida.

MIAMI – AUGUST 07: Rosemary Petty, a Publix Supermarket pharmacy technician, counts out a prescription of antibiotic pills August 7, 2007 in Miami, Florida. Publix has decided to start giving away seven commonly prescribed antibiotics for free. The oral antibiotics will be available at no cost to any customers with a prescription as often as they need it. Publix will offer 14-day supplies of the seven drugs at all of the company’s pharmacies. The supermarket chain operates 684 pharmacies in five states. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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The ProPublica and New York Times story, “The Price They Pay” by Katie Thomas of the Times and Charles Ornstein of ProPublica, smartly illustrates the realities around high drug prices in America. It’s relatively short, plainly told, easy to digest, and compelling. In a short space, it packs in a ton of useful information and has real punch. Want to know why our drugs are so expensive, what policies make the problem worse, and how it hurts people? You can learn all that here, real fast.

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