You can bet at least a few pols will have Pfizer in their sights.
In the midst of plans to lower its U.S. tax liability by merging with a foreign company, the drug giant announced it will be raising prices for over 100 of its products, some by as much as 20 percent.
Reuters reports big price hikes for a number of high-profile drugs, based on a report by Wolters Kluwer, an international consulting firm.
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The price for Viagra, for instance, is going up 12.9 percent. Pain-killer Lyrica is going up 9.4 percent. Drugs that will see the 20 percent increase include:
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Dilantin, which is used to control seizures.
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Menest, which is prescribed to help women suffering from side effects of Menopause to boost their estrogen levels.
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Nitrostat, which treats angina.
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Tykosyn, which is prescribed for irregular heartbeats
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Tygacil, an antibiotic used to treat infections.
In a statement provided to Reuters, Pfizer downplayed the effect of the price increases on average consumers.
"Medicines are among the most effective and efficient use of private and public health care dollars," it said. "It is important to note that the list price does not reflect the considerable discounts offered to the government, managed care organizations, and commercial health plans and certain programs that restrict any increases above the inflation rate."
Like all pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer defends its high prices as necessary to recoup the money it invests in research.
However, the drug maker is far from just scraping by, according to its financial figures for 2015.
The whopping $8.4 billion the company spent on research and development last year was a pittance compared to its $45.7 billion in revenues, including $17.2 billion in U.S. sales.
Other drug companies have been targets of derision over dramatic price hikes, with presidential candidates and members of Congress vowing to crack down on what they view as price gouging.
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