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Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Dr. Oday Alsheikh Calls for Transparency in the Pharma Industry Before It's Too Late
SAN ANTONIO, TX, June 3, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- Dr. Oday Alsheikh, opens new tab, a practicing physician and vocal advocate for healthcare reform, works to bring transparency and accountability to the systems that shape patient care in America. When one walks into a pharmacy to fill a prescription, they probably don't consider what's happening behind the counter, beyond the price tag. They don't see the squeezed margins, the impossible choices, or the quiet desperation behind every filled (or unfilled) order. And according to the ophthalmologist and medical director of TLC San Antonio, opens new tab, Dr. Oday Alsheikh, that lack of public awareness is part of the problem. 'Margins have become so tight that some medications cost pharmacies more to dispense than they're reimbursed for,' says Dr. Alsheikh. 'We're reaching a point where filling certain prescriptions actually puts pharmacies in the red.' It's not just an operational dilemma; it's an ethical one. When delivering care becomes financially unsustainable, everyone suffers. But why and how did the system become complicated? A core issue, says Dr. Alsheikh, is the unpredictability and secrecy around drug pricing. One patient might pay $50 for a medication, while another, on the same insurance plan, might be charged $500, even $1,000. 'There's no transparency,' he explains. 'And that variability can delay or derail treatment altogether.' Even doctors, tasked with prescribing the most effective therapies, are left in the dark. 'We don't know what something costs until after it's given to the patient at the pharmacy,' he says. 'There are no upfront numbers, no consistency. That leaves us powerless to help patients make informed decisions.' And when patients discover the high price, they don't question the system. They blame the doctor. Pharmacists are among the most educated healthcare professionals, often completing up to eight years of training and accruing hundreds of thousands in debt. But as pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) and insurers increase their grip on drug pricing, pharmacists are being muscled into unsustainable positions. To stay open, some are forced to operate at high volumes, sacrificing time, attention, and ultimately, safety. 'This is about more than money,' Dr. Alsheikh emphasizes. 'When margins shrink, mistakes increase. The risk of dispensing errors rises, especially without pharmacists having the time or resources to double-check every detail. That puts patient lives in danger.' What's worse, some pharmacies, bound by confidentiality clauses in their contracts, aren't allowed to disclose pricing structures or even why a medication may be unaffordable. In these cases, patients are often told prices verbally, never in writing, making it nearly impossible to verify or challenge. Dr. Alsheikh explains that PBMs were originally designed to negotiate lower drug prices for insurers and patients. But over the years, they've grown into behemoths, consolidated, acquired by insurance companies, and now control up to 80%, opens new tab of the prescription drug distribution in the United States. 'They're the ultimate middlemen,' Dr. Alsheikh says. 'They negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, and insurers, but not for the benefit of patients. The negotiations are designed to maximize their own margins.' Today, only three major PBMs dominate the industry. And with so much power consolidated in so few hands, the incentive to drive prices up, and with vague reasons as to why, has never been greater. Even Big Pharma, often criticized for high prices, is now struggling to navigate this ecosystem. New drugs cost hundreds of millions, sometimes billions, to develop and get through FDA approval. But once approved, pharmaceutical companies must still negotiate with PBMs to get those drugs covered by insurance. If they fail, even life-changing treatments remain out of reach. 'There's brilliant science being developed,' Dr. Alsheikh remarks. 'But patients don't see it because of how tightly controlled access is by PBMs. The system that should make care better is making it worse.' So what's the solution? 'It starts with transparency,' Dr. Alsheikh argues. 'Right now, everything is designed to confuse. If the public understood how this worked, it would be impossible to maintain the status quo.' But transparency is precisely what the current system resists. Confidential contracts, non-disclosure agreements, and legal threats keep pharmacists and physicians from speaking openly. Even the true cost of medications is often a mystery, hidden behind layers of deductibles, markups, and rebates. Dr. Alsheikh further states, 'We're talking about real people, real families, real lives impacted every day by a system they don't understand and can't navigate.' Until the veil is lifted and transparency becomes the norm, patients will continue to fall through the cracks of a system built for profit, not care. 'Fixing healthcare isn't someone else's job,' he concludes. 'It's all of ours. Because one day, it won't just be your pharmacist or your neighbor or your doctor affected. It will be you.' About TLC San Antonio – Dr. Oday Alsheikh Dr. Oday Alsheikh is a board-certified eye surgeon. With his advanced expertise in LASIK, standard and complex cataract surgery, glaucoma treatment, and corneal crosslinking and transplants, Dr. Alsheikh leads the way in clinical excellence. He is also a thought leader in the health space who gives voice to the sector's overall improvement. For more information, visit Media Contact Briseida Garcia briseidag@ ### SOURCE: TLC San Antonio – Dr. Oday Alsheikh Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
The Herald
16-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald
Sama calls for better care for junior doctors after death of intern at work
The South African Medical Association (Sama) has called for urgent reform in the treatment of junior doctors, warning that unsafe working conditions are putting young health-care workers and patients at risk. This association was responding to the death of Alulutho Mazwi, a medical intern in the paediatrics department at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, who died at work on Monday. He had recently received a diabetes diagnosis and had significant health challenges, the chair of the parliamentary portfolio committee on health Sibongiseni Dhlomo said on Thursday. The Public Servants' Association (PSA) alleged Mazwi had been forced by a supervisor 'to work while critically ill'. Sama spokesperson Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa said junior doctors were among the most vulnerable in the country's health-care system, often expected to work under immense pressure, frequently for extended hours without adequate rest or support.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
NHS bosses who fail to cut waiting times to have their pay docked
Failing NHS bosses who fail to cut waiting times face having their pay docked by £15,000 under a drive to boost performance in the under-pressure health service. Wes Streeting is outlining plans to freeze or dock the pay of bosses in beleaguered NHS trusts, while offering bonuses of up to 10 per cent for those who improve services. The health secretary said the 'carrot and stick reforms will boost productivity, tackle underperformance and drive-up standards for patients '. But the Royal College of Nursing slammed the idea NHS chiefs could be handed bonuses higher than a nurse's annual salary. 'No NHS boss could succeed without us,' executive director Patricia Marquis said. While NHS Providers, which runs hospital trusts, warned withholding bosses' pay rises could have 'unintended consequences' at a time when the health service is undergoing a major transformation. Under the measures, NHS managers who move to poor performing areas could be handed a bonus of 15 per cent, worth up to £45,000. Bonuses of 10 per cent will also be on offer for top performers, while pay bands for senior managers will also be overhauled in a bid to attract and retain staff. But chief executives that rack up debt and fail to cut waiting lists or improve services could have up to £15,000 docked from their pay packets. The figure is based on last year's 5 per cent pay rise and the highest current salary for an NHS trust chief executive of £299,250. Mr Streeting said: "Some of the best businesses and most effective organisations across Britain and the world reward their top talent so they can keep on delivering. "There's no reason why we shouldn't do the same in our NHS. We will reward leaders who are cutting waiting times and making sure patients get better services. "But bonuses and pay rises will be a reward and not a right... Our carrot and stick reforms will boost productivity, tackle underperformance and drive up standards for patients." NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said linking pay to operational performance happens in "almost every other sector" and should also happen in the health service. "If we are to consistently reach the standards of care the public rightly expect, it is clear that we need to reward those who are delivering for patients," he said. He added: "An important element of driving improvements must be strengthening the link between pay and operational performance at a very senior level - this happens in almost every other sector and there is no reason for the NHS to shy away from it, particularly when we rely on money that comes directly from taxpayers' pockets.' Charity the King's Fund urged the government to be careful with the implementation of the incentive scheme, warning of the potential to create 'hero leaders' who work in isolation. 'Incentives of the kind announced today may well focus attention but Ministers should be wary of potential unintended consequences that meeting a target takes precedence over delivering high quality patient care,' leadership and organisational development director Suzie Bailey said. She added: 'Many of the health leaders we speak to are in truth not driven by pay and they could certainly earn more in some other sectors. For them the real driver is deep commitment to their communities and the values of public service.'
South China Morning Post
09-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Will private Hong Kong hospitals set high fee estimates to avoid explaining bill?
Hong Kong's private hospitals may provide higher fee estimates to avoid having to explain cost blowouts in patients' final bills under an official proposal aimed at improving price transparency, lawmakers have warned. Advertisement But Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau on Friday dismissed the concerns and said private operators would not want to scare away patients by setting very high price expectations. He also vowed to ensure penalties would act as effective deterrents under the legislative proposals targeting the private healthcare sector. The Health Bureau earlier this week put a range of measures to the Legislative Council for discussion, including a requirement for private hospitals to give price estimates and a written explanation to patients or their family members if the final bill for procedures was significantly higher, such as 20 per cent or more than the expected amount. But lawmakers raised doubts about how the government would ensure the rights of patients were protected. Advertisement 'Private hospitals might include potential stays in the intensive care unit in the fee estimates for operations that are a bit more complicated,' legislator Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan said.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Kennedy blasts critics of Trump's surgeon general nominee: ‘Terrified of change'
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday issued an unrelenting defense of President Trump's surgeon general nominee, Casey Means, who has faced an onslaught of criticism since the president tapped her for the influential government post late Wednesday. In a post on the social platform X on Thursday, Kennedy chastised her critics — which have included some high-profile conservative influencers including Laura Loomer, who called the pick 'honestly insane' and suggested Trump did not make the decision himself. 'The absurd attacks on Casey Means reveal just how far off course our healthcare conversations have veered, and how badly entrenched interests–including Big Food and its industry-funded social media gurus–are terrified of change,' Kennedy wrote in his post on X. Kennedy touted Means's credentials, noting she was the president of her undergraduate class at Stanford University, a 'standout' at Stanford Medical School and 'a top performer' in surgical residency, which 'she had the courage to leave' because she 'realized her patients weren't getting better.' 'Casey is the perfect choice for Surgeon General precisely because she left the traditional medical system–not in spite of it. Her leadership has inspired many doctors to reform the system and forge a new path away from sick care, which fills corporate coffers, and toward health care, which enriches all of us,' Kennedy wrote. Casey Means is the sister of Calley Means, a special government employee at HHS and a close ally of Kennedy's. They are both high-profile proponents of Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) agenda and co-wrote a book that, Kennedy said in his post, 'helped launch the MAHA movement.' Kennedy said Casey Means's approach to health and wellness has inspired Americans 'to rethink our healthcare system,' which, according to Kennedy, poses 'an existential threat to the status quo interests, which profit from sickness.' Kennedy was adamant that he would continue to defend Means against critics, saying, 'She will be the best Surgeon General in American history.' 'The goal of MAHA is to reform the largest and most powerful industry in the United States,' Kennedy said. 'I have little doubt that these companies and their conflicted media outlets will continue to pay bloggers and other social media influencers to weaponize innuendo to slander and vilify Casey, the same way they try to defame me and President Trump. But it will not work.' Means rose to prominence on the right in recent years through appearances on Tucker Carlson's and Joe Rogan's podcasts and built a large following online through writing about health and wellness. She and Kennedy share the view that unhealthy lifestyle choices and environmental toxins are to blame for obesity, cancer and other health crises facing the U.S. Like many of Kennedy's allies, she has also been skeptical of vaccines, questioning their 'cumulative effects' on Americans. She co-founded a health app that can connect to glucose monitors, and she promotes various health supplements through her online presence. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
