During an appearance on Newsmax TV’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. remarked that while Europe can set prices for prescription drugs, many Americans travel abroad for medical care because certain medications are unavailable in Europe.
Host Rob Schmidt expressed disbelief, noting that without those drugs, Europeans remain unwell, questioning how they manage. He asked if Kennedy’s statement was correct.
Kennedy responded, “Yes, Europeans have a different healthcare system than we do. It’s socialized medicine. There are both benefits and drawbacks to this approach. One significant downside is that many medicines aren’t accessible in Europe. Consequently, medical tourism in the US thrives because people here can find drugs that aren’t offered in Europe. While it may be more expensive, the medications are available. In Europe, access is restricted, which allows them to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies, essentially demanding that drugs be sold at the cost of production. This is a kind of price regulation. And we’re essentially subsidizing the European healthcare model at the expense of financially burdened Americans.”
Kennedy also mentioned that removing pharmacy benefits managers could further help in lowering costs.
