Michigan Rx drug price web site "fails"

The US state of Michigan's prescription drug pricing web site has been condemned as inadequate by the State's own Attorney General, Mike Cox (Republican), who notes the presence of massive price variations across the region for certain drugs as evidence that the information is not accessible to patients or comprehensive enough.

Among the reforms proposed by the Republican official, raising the number of prescription drug prices monitored on-line from 30 to 150-200 and making the web site more accessible. Researchers from Mr Cox' department recorded variations of over 100% in the price of some drugs in Michigan.

A spokesman for the Michigan Department of Community Health (which has a Democratic party administration) implied that there were higher priorities "like providing health care for poor people," the Detroit Free Press reported.