Los Angeles Times

Consumer Confidential: Drug industry CEOs say the problem isn't high prices, it's how misunderstood they are

It's been a good week for political theater. At center stage, of course, was President Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, testifying that his ex-boss is a crook. Then we had the leaders of the United States and North Korea agreeing not to agree at a high-profile summit.

But no less important was this week's Senate Finance Committee hearing on drug prices, which saw the heads of seven top pharmaceutical companies depicting themselves as deeply misunderstood humanitarians who just want to help people.

Oh, and they said lawmakers shouldn't even consider regulating how much patients are charged, even if those prices are shamelessly and cruelly indefensible.

"The government should not directly control the

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