Economic issues relating to access to medications

Millions of uninsured, low-income workers (a disproportionate number of them black) are financially unable to obtain prescription drugs for treatment of conditions such as hypertension. As a result, funds spent to diagnose their underlying illnesses may be wasted, and they are likely to suffer complications that require much more costly care. The tendency for income levels to be inversely correlated with blood pressure means that those least able to pay for antihypertensive medication are those most susceptible to complications. Since current programs are inadequate to help most of these patients, there is a need for a joint initiative by the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry to fund programs to make medications easily accessible for the medically indigent population.