No one could ever have predicted! From the NYT :

Drug Makers Raising Prices Before Reform

In the last year, the industry has raised the wholesale prices of brand-name prescription drugs by about 9 percent, according to industry analysts. That will add more than $10 billion to the nation’s drug bill, which is on track to exceed $300 billion this year. By at least one analysis, it is the highest annual rate of inflation for drug prices since 1992.

And I sure will have a lot of trouble paying for those drugs on my credit card that--thanks to the convenient lag in implementing credit "reform"--now has 29 % interest!

Sure it costs 2-3 times as much as other developed countries. But someone has to pay for lifesaving drugs like this:

And it's not just snark, those damned Europeans really are more innovative in pharmaceuticals. No back room deal with Billy Tauzin required.

PhRMA opens their war chest to oppose health care reform

John McCain ran on one of the most aggressive free market health care reform plans we’ve seen in recent years, and he was soundly defeated.

Hee hee hee

Medicare's Poison Pill

I read the original JAMA study when it came out, and I knew it was a piece of garbage then. Now experts have chimed in and explained why my initial impression was correct. 68 out of 815 is not "meta:"

So a family member has inspired me to look into Chantix. Like most people with a habit, I've reached that point in my life when it is Really Important that I quit smoking. I'm one of those 'serious addicts' and have never been able to make it more than 10 days without a smoke. The longest I've ever gone is when I was in boot, and when I got kicked out of the Corps, well, let's just say that felt like a really good time for some self-destruction, and I lit up again almost right after signing my final papers. The gum never did it for me and that other drug that's been out for a while sounded scary and not too effectual. So what do you all think about Chantix? Anyone tried it? There's a slim chance, poor blogger that I am, I may even qualify for a free trial for a few months. Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated. Consider this a Smoking Open Thread, where we'd love it for you to share your stories, smoker and nonsmoker alike.