Opinion: Global freeloading: Americans shouldn't bear the brunt of drug development costs

In his inaugural address, President Donald Trump vowed to end the chronic disease epidemic and keep America’s children healthy and disease-free. An important step begins abroad, pressuring other wealthy countries to abandon policies that restrict access to lifesaving medicines, ensuring chronically ill patients receive the treatments they need.

Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, pose one of the most significant health threats to Americans today. The share of Americans with multiple chronic conditions increased from 21.8% in 2001 to 27.2% in 2018. In 2022, these illnesses claimed the lives of 1.9 million Americans, accounting for eight out of the 10 leading causes of death.

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